Mystic Zodiac Chapter 2

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Back to Mystic Zodiac - rpg

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Marek smiled to himself. "Morning Chyrosa" he said softly to himself as his eyes closed feeling the gentle hug he loved so much.

Love you Marek.... came Chyrosa's voice in his head. It is time to start trying to bring together what Zodiac is out there....as it is time for you to bring together the protectors of the Zodiac... those that will fight with you....whether god, godess, or imortal or mortal...

Marek nodded. "Yes of course my lady" he said thinking about it all but wondering how he was going to find them.

You know how to get my father.... and you should look at Epsilon Archer..... look at the name.... he heard her giggle in his head.

Marek thought about it then laughed. "The Sagittarius" he said realizing it. then sighed leaning against the railing gazing out over the view.

He felt the warmth like a kiss, and then it was the normal warmth of the sun.

Marek sighed happily then went off inside to go grab something to wear for the day while thinking about bringing the zodiac together. Wondering how he would be able to find them all.

The phone rang, that is, his cell phone rang.

Marek grabbed his phone and answered "hello, this is Marek."

"Hey Marek! Do you want to go to the park?" came Chyrosa's voice at the other end of the phone.

Marek smiled to himself. "I would love that Chyrosa, would you like to meet there or would you like me to pick you up?" he asked curiously as he sat down on his bed.

"Let's meet there...." she said.

"Alright sounds good, when do you wnt to meet there?" he asked as he lounged on his bed. He felt kinda silly doing it, it was like what teenagers did chatting with their boyfriends and girlfriends but hey he wasnt going to care right now.

"Thirty minutes?"

"Sounds good to me, shall we meet by the fountain in the middle of the park?" he asked playfully.

"That sounds fun," she said giggling.

"It does indeed, well I need to go get dressed so I can look handsome for you" he said in a seductive purr.

He heard her giggle, and then say, "Til then..."

"Yes until then" he said playfully then hung up the phone, He threw on a pair of jeans and a wrinked button down dress shirt that looked good on him. He pulled his hair back in a ponytail and slid on a pair of dark sunglasses before he pulled on his black biker boots. "Not bad not bad" he said looking at himself in the mirror and smiled. Suddenly he pulled on a hat as well and put on his rings and necklace he normally wore. Grabbing his wallet and his keys he headed out. He road his elevator down to his garage and decided he would take his Jaguar. With that he headed off to the park to meet up with the love of his life.

The drive was relax, and when he got there, he saw a female figure sitting on the rim of the foutain, from the distance it looked like Chyrosa.

Marek began to walk over thinking he was going to run into her in a minute.

The girl walked off, it hadn't been her. Ten minutes passed.

Marek sat on the side of the fountain and waited for her, each minute that passed he grew more and more worried for her.

"Excuse me sir," said a man with long shoulder length black hair. "But are you waiting for someone?"

Marek turned and looked at the man. "Yes why do you ask?" he asked in a stoic tone getting on edge.

"I was just asking.... it was your body language..." the man said, and started to walk off.

Marek's phone started to ring.

The man called back, "You may want to get that.... it may be Chyrosa...."

Marek felt a chill slide down his spine as he whipped out his phone. "Hello?" he said as he answered.

"Marek..." came Chyrosa's voice. "I'm not distrubing you, am I?"

"No of course not Chryosa I was just worried since you havent showed up yet, where are you?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" said Chyrosa. "I was calling to see if you wanted to go to the movies and then do some other things after..."

Marek noticed the man from before leaning against a tree, on the top of a nearby hill, watching him.

Marek glared at the man. "Something has come up I need to take care of Chyrosa I'll call you back in a bit but yeah I would really like to go to the movies and do some other stuff with you. Love you" and before she had a chance to reply he hung up and slide the phone in his pocket before walking off towards the man knowing this was his fault.

The dark haired man just smirked and turned from Marek, heading down the other side of the him.

Marek just followed after the man having a feeling that is what he was supposed to do.

When Marek started down the hill, he heard laughed down by a building that seemed out of place, looking too mediveal, and the laughed was coming from inside.

Marek shivered getting a really bad feeling about it. He turned and headed towards the building. This god was playing with him and he needed to know why.

He continued to hear laugher from the building.

And the laughter was making the hair on his arms stick up from the chill he was getting. "What the hell is that?" he asked himself softly. In his pocket he felt his phone vibrating he knew it was chyrosa calling him trying to find out what was going on but he didnt want her to have anything to do with this. Especially if that man had so well been able to mimic her voice.

The laugher stopped, and the door to the small building moved open, but no one came out.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" he asked out loud as he stood outside the building. Everything inside of him was telling him not to go in there. But some times one had to go against instincts. He went into the door.

He saw an old woman sitting in a rocker, slowly rocking back and forth, sitting in front a fire.

Marek didnt know weather or not he should walk forward. He stood there watching the woman not knowing what to do.

"Come in, child..." came the elderly woman's voice.

Marek walked forward. "Why have I been brought here my lady?" he asked in a soft respectful tone.

The woman started to laugh lightly, but then the laugh became the male laugh from before. "You are the one that followed me!" The fire roared.

Marek jumped back as the flames bellowed. "you were the one playing with me Sir god." he said holding strong.

The old woman was engolfed in the flames, and when the flames died down the man from earlier stood there. THe man bowed. "I am who I am... just as you can never change...." the man said, smiling.

"Who are you? what is it you want with me sir god?" he asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

The man laughed. "So serious....." the man stopped laughing. "I may should have listened to those to, but they can be such dule guys...."

Marek stood there really confused by this man.

The man smirked at Marek, then bowed as he said, "Loki, at your service..."

"God of fire and the great trickster" Marek said before he bowed. "it is an honor to meet you sire. How may I be of service?"

The man laughed. "What do you think you are doing? I impersonated Chy and you bow back to me..... Those two are either going to laugh at me or be stunned....."

Marek looked up. "Oh I'm ticked right now that you did that but your one of the most powerful of the Norse gods and I know I am no match to your power." he said as he stood up all the way.

"Great!" Loki said with a great laugh. "I'll have to spar with you one day....haha... it's be fun...."

Marek held back his need to let out a long sigh. "so other then to pester me and to make my lover think i'm insane is there any other reason you wished to speak to me Lord Loki?" he asked curiously

The trickester god look at Marek in all seriousness. "Just to tell you that there are other gods and goddesses like Helios that work at helping the Zodiac....Myself being one.... Along with Thor.... and many others... and to say that if you need help in finding knights to help you in your protection of our Zodiac members, I'd find the Zodiac and see who has been drawn to them...."

Marek nodded "yes of course since they truely would be the best choice especially to help protect those they love."

"Yes..." said Loki. "My member of the Zodiac has been waiting many centuries to understand it all.... being the first to be reborn.... only to be alone but for a kind god taking him in when he realized who he was... and I agreeing to be the new guardian god for.... Capricorn..."

"It is good to know that he lives once more, I hope that soon I will be able to meet him soon enough. Like I wish with all of the Zodiac, I was told so many stories of them and I wish to meet and know them all."

Loki nodded. "Yeah, but you would think that he would have gained back all of his memories by now.... " Loki said softly.

"You never know that he might have something blocking it from returning."

Loki looked at Marek. "There is only one who has that power, the power of memories....."

"Are you speaking in terms of the zodiac or the gods and goddesses?" Marek asked curiously.

"I am speaking of the goddess of Memory..." Loki said, but then looked up at an angle at the ceiling. "Hmmm..... you are the Captain of the Knights of the Zodiac.... maybe you'd like to meet one of the people you are going to protect.... seeing as Helios says that you know the Lion...."

Marek felt the phone inhis pocket continue to buzz and he knew it was Chyrosa getting more and more worried about him. "I would like to but I really need to let Chyrosa know I'm alright but I would be honored to meet them another day." he said looking at the god.

Loki shrugged. "Tell her hi for me...." Loki disappeared.

Marek headed out of the house and answered his phone. "This is Marek" he said in his cheerful tone.

"What is going on, Marek??" came Chyrosa. "You just hung up on me....I..... didn't do anything did I?"

"Its nothing you did at all Chyrosa I promise, really it is something came up Loki the trickster wanted to introduce himself to me. I didnt know it was him so I wanted to be careful thats why I hung up on you my darling really its my fault not yours." he said worriedly hoping she wasnt mad at him.

"Loki...." he heard her whisper. "I thought I had heard Matthew telling him to leave you alone... Thor is going to take his hammer to him one day..." She started laughing. "So.... do you want to still go to the movies?"

Marek laughed as he was walking on the way to his car. "I would really love that Chyrosa, do you want to meet at the theater?" he asked curiously.

"Could you pick me up? I'm at the Epsilon Archer....we had left early, and it would look odd at the condo if he left me there by myself.... and he has a meeting....."

"Alright sounds good I'll pull into the parking garage for Epsilon Archer to pick you up how does that sound?" he asked as he made it to his car. He climbed in and buckled his seat belt and turned on the car ready to go.

"Great," he heard her say. "I'll be waiting for you...."

"I'll see you later love" and with that he hung up and headed out driving off towards Epsilon Archer.

The drive was undistrubed.

He pulled into the parking garage and drove towards the back where he had the feeling the elevators and his love were waiting for him.

He could see Chyrosa waving, smiling at him.

Marek pulled in front of her. "Hello beautiful" he smiled at her threw the open window on her side.

"Hey there," she said, smiling back. "So... I'm sorry about what happened.... Loki doesn't think some times.... but he is a very loyal friend to have..."

"Its alright no worries about it, Other then the thumping I have to give him for impersonnating you he and I are alright" he chuckled as he watched her climb in his car.

"Oh yeah..." Chyrosa laughed. "Just don't go too far if you two do fight.... both of you have had to much done to ya....kay?" She smiled at him, and then said, "Oh.... daddy, Epsilon is looking at hiring a new legal aid.... she's like us....but she is someone that was reborn..... a goddess.... I believe.... she's the goddess Phoebe...."

Marek went rigid hearing that name, he remembered her, he had been the one to take Phoebe to Zues's chambers. But he had also found her afterwords broken to peices and had taken her to the portal sending her off to her freedom. He didnt know where he had sent her but it had been a risk he had been willing to take. He was hunched over as his hands gripped the wheel remembering those moments.

"Marek....do you know who her parents were?" Chyrosa asked softly.

"The moon and her lover I know, it was Zues's orders to bring her to his chambers, Pheobe's punishment was also a punishment to her parents. I don't know why though I never knew. Selene had always been so sweet and Pheobe a sweet girl and wonderful woman but Zues held great distaste and anger for her."

Chyrosa looked sad. "Selene....and her lover had been murdered.... back during the time that the Zodiac had started being murdered and those that lived went into hiding.... of course there had been other gods that supported the Zodiac.....that were also murdered or...yet another punishment done to them...... Phoebe and I were close in age, not but actual little children when they were murdered.... Phoebe had other family to help raise her.... which is why you never knew what I have told you, it was Phoebe that governed the moon in her mother's absense..... and she was asked to be brought to him....because he wished for her sexually.... just as he did Selene.... as he did every mortal woman and goddess...."

Marek trembled hunched over in his seat, he felt sick knowing he had been her downfall bringing her to that monster.

Chyrosa placed a hand on his shoulder. "Marek....please.... you were ordered..... and if you had not gone in there to sent her through, she wouldn't have found the one that her heart loves.... nor her daughters and son..... nor would one of those daughters have been the start of bringing together to Clans of elves in that world..... nor would she have had the I don't really know how many but the great grand daughter that she does today... that just so happens to be herself....." she said sofly. "A you actually meet two of Phoebe's children yesterday...."

Marek gently closed his eyes. "I'm glad to hear that I'm glad to know that she had a good life" he smiled softly.

"I wonder if Erebus new he sent Yomi and Rasu to their own mother, his niece..."

"probably" Marek chuckled and smiled at her. "So my princess on a happier note where would you like to go today?" he asked curiously.

"Movies...?"

"sounds good to me" he leaned over and stole a quick kiss from her then leaned back in his chair and drove off.

Chyrosa leaned against his arm.

"So what were you thinking of seeing?" he asked with a smile glancing down at her as he drove along to a really nice theater he usualy went to when he actually went into public.

"Honestly I didn't check what's playing...."

he laughed "Well that makes it all the more fun then" he said adorably.

"Oh yeah," she said smiling.

Marek sighed happily as he drove along. "I know their is a couple of good romances out and I think maybe even a good action flick here and there."

Chyrosa laughed. "What about an action with romance?"

"Embaressingly enough the only one that I can think thats out right now is the one that I'm in" he chuckled.

Chyrosa laughed too. "I enjoy your performances..."

"Well thank you it is an honor to hear that from you" he smiled lovingly down at her for a moment. "Having that output in life was deffinantly a help in living life down here amongst the mortals and playing these roles and playing out some pretty amazing stories has been a wonderful experience."

"Yeah...." Chyrosa said, then kissed his cheek.

"What was that for?" Marek asked playfully.

"I love you... that's what for..." she giggled.

"I love you to Chyrosa" he chuckled as they drove along. "By the way cute outfit" he winked playfully over at her.

Chyrosa blushed. "I have many cute outfits...."

Marek chuckled "Well I hope to see more cute outfits"

"I'm sure you will..." Chyrosa said, blushing.

"Your as red as a cherry my love" he said playfully looking over at her. "Are you ok?" he said as they were stopped at a stop light for a moment then looked ahead again as the light turned green.

"I'm fine..." Chyrosa said, looking over at him. "I just have been feeling the awaking of so many that have been missed.... and I just want to spend so much time with you."

Marek put his hand on hers "Just know I'll always be here for you and whenever you want to or we can I want to spend time with you so If its just on a whim just call me and I will come to you" he said lovingly.

Chyrosa squeezed Marek's hand. "Yes... yes Marek," she said cutely.

Suddenly Marek went rigid remembering something in his movie that he didnt really want Chyrosa to see especially if he was with her. Their was a sex scene in the movie kind of like the scenes in the second and third underworld movies. "Oh my" he turned red glad he had suddenly remembering that. "ummm maybe its not a good idea if we see my movie why don't we see something else" he said softly.

"What's wrong?" she said.

"Its nothing I I just think it would be better if you and I went to a different movie is all." He really jsut didnt want her to see him in a movie getting all naughty with someone especially since they had just gotten together. She could tell he was embarressed about something that had to do with that movie.

Chyrosa laughed out, smiling at him. "Alright, Marek...."

Marek let out a sigh and smiled at her then looked ahead once more. It wasnt long later when they reached the movie theater together he noticed his hair was blonde again and smiled. "thats my girl" he kissed her cheek.

Chyrosa giggled. "Wait til you see what else..."

Marek cocked an eyebrow curiously hearing her say that as he pulled into a parking spot. "What are you up to?" he asked playfully as he put the car in park and turned it off.

She pointed at the rear view mirror.

Marek looked up in the mirror.

Marek's hair was blonde, but he had a ring of bright red in it near the top. Also his eyes were a rainbow of colors, depending on how he turned his head.

"Woah intense" he said staring at what she had done. "you are one very talented woman my love" he said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I was just being creative..." she said smiling, then kissing his cheek before quickly getting out of the car.

He got out of the car as well and locked the car before walking over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they headed off towards the building. "are you an artist or something like that? because your very talented." he said with a smile.

"I've had many occupations over the centuries.... both my daddies are very proud..." she said, winking at him. "Even some very important careers.... life changing...."

"How interesting I would love to hear more about them when we get the chance" he said lovingly.

Chyrosa smiled, nodding as they headed into the threater. "So what movie?"

He scratched his head "Umm I'm actually not sure" he said looking at the movie board.

"Hmmm...how about Love Story...?"

"That sounds good how about Tears under moonlight I heard that was good" he said pointing it out to her and she saw the movie poster on the wall. It was next to the movie poster of Marek's movie. Red Moon. In the poster it was Marek in a futuristic long trench coat he had his hair pulled back in a ponytail. Bright red streaks through it while he had an intricate tribal tattoo under his left eye. He stood there holding a futuristic sword while he stood on the ledge of what almost looked to be a castle while the city below looked like something out of a sci fi novel. Mareks eyes were pale blue, so pale they almost looked white and gazing deep into your soul.

"Beautiful...." she whispered. "Yes, yes..."

Marek looked at her and realized she wasnt talking about the same movie he was. "I agree its a very nice poster, I have a couple copies of it back at my place if you want one" he whispered in her ear.

"Yes..... please...." Chyrosa said. "And Tears Under Moonlight sounds great.... but I want another movie day with you, and we watch Red Moon. Okay?"

Marek turned red, she was a grown woman yes but still didnt mean it would be comfortable to watch Marek in a sex scene with another woman. "Yeah of course sweety... Ummm but how about when it comes out on DVD?" he asked. Now she was getting really curious on what he didnt want her to see with him in the movie.

Chyrosa tilted her head. "Why don't you want me to see it?"

"Well uhh" he blushed and swallowed hard.

"your boyfriend probably doesnt want you to see the narly sex scene in the movie" the guy from behind the counter said as he read his magizine. It was slow this time of day so he could. "Totally one of my favorite non porno Sex scenes"

Marek turned deeper red and wished he could slap the guy as hard as he possibly could for saying that then he looked back down at Chyrosa nervously. "Well uhh now you know why I didnt want to see it" he said softly.

Marek heard Chyrosa giggled in his mind, as she said, "Oh that's alright, love...." She kissed him.

Marek blushed bright red "So which one would you like to see?" he asked shyly.

"Tears Under Moonlight..." Chyrosa said, smiling at Marek then looking at the guy at the ticket booth.

"two for tears under moonlight then" the guy said typing in his computer and printing them out. "Its in theater five enjoy the show" the guy said handing over the tickets to them.

Marek took the tickets and paid before they walked off. "Would you like anything from the concession stand?" he asked curiously glad she was ok with seeing a different movie.

Chyrosa shook her head. "No thank you Marek..." she said smiling. 0.

Marek wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Alright then lets go" he smiled down at her as they walked off together to the theater.

They got into the threater, and seated. Chyrosa smiled up at him. "This is going to be fun...."

"This is going to be alot of fun, I heard the movie got good ratings, The Producers came to me to play the lead male role in the movie but Red Moon had sounded more like me so I decided to go for that role instead so it will be interesting to see the role I could have been playing."

Chyrosa giggled. "That's fine...." she said, then she said chypticly, "You will definitely see...."

Marek looked at her suspiciously. "What are you up to little lady?" he asked curiously.

The lights dimed. "Shh...." Chyrosa said smiling. She leaned against him, as the movie started. As the movie played, Marek noticed something familar about the male lead.

He knew alot of actors so he was just thinking he recognized the actor.

It then hit him in the face.....Abmisleo??

His jaw dropped, "is that...." he rubbed his eyes not believing what he was seeing.

"I talked, dad into doing it..... I wanted him to do something fun, and not just doing research for Matthew's company or doing his training... and other things...." whispered Chyrosa, giggling softly.

Marek smiled and slouched in his chair with a smile, he was deffinantly going to enjoy this.

When the movie was over, Marek could tell from his own experience in the movie business was that his mentor had talent.

"In the name of all that is holy your father is really amazing!" he said with a big smile as they walked out of the theater together. "Wow seriously I don't know what to say other then I deffinantly have to watch out if your father keeps in the movie industry" he said laughing.

Chyrosa giggled, and skipped ahead of him, and in a sing-song voice said, "Wait til you see me..."

"See you?" he choked out

Chyrosa nodded, still skipping ahead of him. "Marek is something wrong?"

Marek put his hand over his face. "I'll be alright I just am glad your father doesnt have teh ability to read minds" he was imagining her suddenly in alot of the female counterpart roles in his movies. He shivered thinking about it to himself. "Sorry" he smiled shoving that lusty side of him back in his head.

Chyrosa laughed. "You're silly....."

"I'm not silly" he came up behind her and pulled her against him playfully. "I'm just a man in love with a beautiful woman" he smiled down at her.

Chyrosa huged back, smiling up at him. "I'm the one that can read minds..." she giggled.

Marek turned bright red realizing she saw his naughty thoughts of her. "Oh god I'm so embarressed" he turned away from her

Chyrosa moved in front of him, and kissed him on the lips. "I love you, Marek...."

Marek smiled gazing down at her "I love you to" he said playfully before leaning down and stealing another kiss from her.

She smiled. "Your thoughts are still your's....."

Marek cocked an eyebrow "What do you mean by that?" he asked looking down at her as he rested his arms on her shoulders.

Chyrosa smiled up at him. "I'm not going to tell anyone..."

"Good I deffinantly prefer it that way something just between you and me" he leaned down and playfully kissed her cheek a quick little smooch.

Chyrosa giggled. "Yep.... between you... me..... and Oracle...." She kissed him on the lips.

Marek let out a grunt of curiosity as their lips were locked together. "Oracle?" he asked when he finally could bring his lips from hers.

Chyrosa smiled and said, "You can't really hide anything from her.... for she is what her name is...."

"Oh fun fun indeed" he said playfully with a smile. "So on another note what would you like to do now my darling?" he asked adorably.

"Follow my directions and you will see..." she said smiling.

He cocked an eyebrow in question. "Alright then" he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he walked out with her.

When they got to his car, Chyrosa smiled. "Ready...?"

"yes maim" he smiled giving her a little wink and turned the car on. "So what is my first order." he asked as he was ready to back out.

"Head straight to the southern most part of the city..."

Marek was confused by the order but nodded. "Alright will do" he pulled out and they were then on their way.

Chyrosa smiled. "You are going to be in for a nice surprise..."

Marek looked at her curiously and suspiciously out of the corner of his eyes. "If you say so my darling" he smiled and looked ahead as they drove. He hummed softly along with the song playing on the radio.

Chyrosa started singing with the song, and there was something about her singing voice that reminded him of something.

Marek couldnt totally put his finger on it though so he just moved into singing the song with her.

"You should have gone into singing too...." Chyrosa said.

"nah I don't think so my voice is good while speaking not for singing in my personal opinion" he said glancing over at her.

"I love it..."

"Thank you my love, that means the world to me but I do have to say even though you love it doesnt mean everyone would love it." he hummed softly to himself. Thorthia had tried to get him into studios now and again to hear his singing voice but he stayed away music just wasnt his thing.

Chyrosa nodded.

Marek smiled and went back to singing to the song while tapping his fingers to the beat of the song. "So tell me exactally how far south are we going?" he asked curiously as he looked at his GPS system on the dashboard.

"As far as we can go... til we hit the southern mountain range..."

"What is this you have in mind for us?" he asked since he was surprised they were going so far.

"A hike..." she said with a smile.

"A hike? well now that sounds like alot of fun, I havent done a hike just for fun in a long time. I would only hike really for movie shoots and to get to locations" he said thinking about it as he drove.

"That's cool..."

Marek glanced over at her confused. "That's cool? that doesnt sound like you"

"Walking to the set locations sounds cool..." she said. "I talk with the times sometimes because you know the whole... I'm a child right now thing..."

"True very true indeed, Sorry for me its bad due to the roles I play I'm not used to speaking just like." he slouched in his chair mocking the way she was sitting. "Thats cool" he laughed as he sat up straight again.

"I don't slouch.... not unless I'm leaning against you..." she said, playfully slapping his arm.

He started cracking up. "true very true, I was kind of mimicing kids now a days to not just you" he said playfully and winked down at her before looking ahead again. "But still though you know it was cute."

Chyrosa giggled, and nodded.

"So is there anything you would like before we go on the hike or do you just want to go straight there and on the trail?" he asked playfully.

"Straight to the trail...."

"Sounds good to me" he said lovingly.

They saw the mountains of the southern border of the city coming into view.

"almost there baby" he smiled a big smile as they drove along.

"Great..." she said, smiling, looking at the top of the mountian.

"You want to go all the way to the top of the mountain?" he asked noticing where she was looking.

Chyrosa giggled. "That's the plan..."

"Hey sounds good to me, should be alot of fun." he said thinking about it

They soon got to the base of the mountian.

Marek found a good place to park and locked his car up. He then put a illusion spell on it and made it look like nothing more then a boulder. "Ready?" he asked looking at her as they stood there together.

Chyrosa giggled. "Of course love..."

Marek smiled and with that they headed off on the trail.

After a well, Chyrosa looked up at Marek with a smile.

Marek was looking ahead and didnt notice her looking up at him as they hiked along he was lost in his thoughts.

Chyrosa stopped walking, crossing her arms, watching him with a smile.

Marek walked ahead a bit but then suddenly realized she wasnt there. "Hey where?.." he turned around and saw her. "Hey whats up sweety?" he asked walking back down to her.

"What were you thinking about....?"

"I was just lost in random thoughts is all sorry." he smiled at her.

"What sort of random thoughts...?" Chyrosa asked curiously, walking up to him, smiling.

"you, your father, the Zodiac, A new movie I was offered the lead in. just random quick thoughts about it all" he said looking down at her. He placed his arms on her shoulders gazing down at her.

"You will know a Zodiac both a double star on their body, somewhere...." she said, turning up both her wrists to him, showing him the double star on both of her wrists. "My father only has one...so I know that I am the only one with two...."

"Well I deffinantly don't plan on trying to undress them so how else will I know?" he asked curiously.

"Each has a necklace or should have a necklace that has a single gem stone on it.... also each Zodiac has a companion animal...."

"Alright so double stars, Necklace and companion animal" suddenly he thought about it "Where's your companion?" he asked curiously.

"If a companion animal is not out...they will be a tattoo on their back...."

"Again, pardon my male thinking but their is only one person of the Zodiac that I want to see out of her clothes and she's standing here in front of me" he said playfully.

Chyrosa laughed. "Well, I'm sure that you have seen father's companion, the lion, on his back...."

"Yeah I saw his when we would train together other then that I don't want to see anyone nude." he laughed. "Other then you of course" he said in a seductive voice before chuckling.

"OOOh really...." she replied in an equally seductive tone.

"You can quote me on that one" he gave her a quick but deep kiss then pulled back from her. "Now lets get going their is a mountain top with our names on it" he smiled at her over his shoulder then turned and began to walk up the path again.

"Alright..." Chyrosa said, and then raced passed him laughed.

Marek chased after her. "Get back here you" he laughed.

"Nope..." she laughed, leaping up the trail.

Marek brought out his supernatural side of him and lept up the trail after her. It was so much fun as they raced up. He hadnt had this much fun in awhile.

Chyrosa jumped, spining around so that she was leaping backwards. She smiled at him, and started to giggled.

Marek growled playfully. "Oh look who's here miss show off." he laughed as he jumped after her.

Chyrosa giggled, and vanished.

Marek slid to a stop. "Chyrosa? where did you go?" he looked around seeing if their was any sign of her.

Marek heard her laughed a ways up.

Marek smiled and took off up towards the sounds of her laughter.

"Over here love..." he heard her call from farther up the mountain.

"Man your fast" he laughed as he dashed up the mountain quickly.

"SSSSsssss!"

Marek slid to a stop. "What in the?" he stood there ready to fight.

Grass and dead branches somewhere close broke. "SSssss!"

"Chyrosa! where are you this isnt funny anymore" he said standing in a fighting position.

Marek got tapped on the shoulder.

Marek spun around.

"Marek....I'm sorry I ran off..." Chyrosa said. Marek could stil hear it, but it was moving away.

"Chyrosa where are you this really isnt funny!" he shouted trying to find her.

"Hello....down here..." Chyrosa said, waving a hand in front of his eyes.

Marek looked down at her. "Oh thank the heavens." he looked relieved.

Marek heard the sounds becoming distant. "I'm sorry," she said.

Marek smiled and pulled her into a warm loving hug. "Its ok you were just being playful" he smiled down at her before stealing a kiss.

Chyrosa kissed back. "I would run off again..."

Marek growled playfully. "Would you now? I'll deffinantly have to do better to hunt you down then" he gently nuzzled her neck.

"I'm sure that you are a great hunter..." she giggled.

Marek smiled down at her. "Why thank you I might have to show you that some time but for now lets continue our hike my darling it would be best to be back by the car before nightfall." he said in a loving tone.

"Before night fall....? I'll show you a fun way back down to the car....but the true fun will be happening at the top..."

Marek cocked an eyebrow. "Now I'm really curious about whats going on." he smiled slyly

"You'll see...." Chyrosa said and kissed him. "Come on....we still ahve a why to go..."

Marek nodded and chuckled. "lets get going" while with that the two of them headed off again heading towards the top of the mountain.

Close to the start of sun set, they made it to the top. The view was amazing. "Don't you just love it..." she said.

"Wow this truely is beautiful" he gazed out at the breath taking sight before them. "This is great sweety a wonderful idea" the breeze played with his long black hair gently curessing him.

"Just watch the sky..." Chyrosa said.

Marek nodded and did as he was told looking up at the sky.

Just then he saw a large fire bird fly over them, mixing with the rays of the descending sun.

Marek stared at it in true awe. "Chyrosa is that what I think it is?" he asked not beliving it, he hadnt seen one in so very long.

"What? A Phoenix?" she asked calmly.

"yes, I havent seen one in a long time, Last time I saw one was many years go." he smiled "its deffinantly a beautiful sight to see" he went over and pulled her against him. "thank you for sharing this with me."

"Marek...." Chyrosa said, smiling. "That's not a Phoenix..... it is too large..... that is the Vermillion Bird.... that is Suzaku.... the Guardian of the South..... the Guardian of Fire.... The Priest of Fire...."

Marek's eyes went wide. "really? thats really..." he stared up in the sky. "What is he doing here?" he asked not beliving that.

"His temple is just down the mountain from here....."

"Really now? I didnt even realize that, I had been curious about the temples but I had never traveled there myself." he said snuggling with his lil' lady.

"This cresent moon mountian range is a convergence of energies....equal to that which is found in the mountains of what is now China......."

"Really now? how truely intriugeing." he said thinking about it all.

"He is one of the four priests that help in informing and protecting the Zodiac.... I had heard that he was coming back from China... and I thought you'd like to see him coming back...."

"Well thank you, seeing the great Suzaku was deffinantly an experience" he smiled and leaned down giving him a little kiss on the cheek.

Chyrosa leaned into it. "I hoped you like it...." Marek felt a sensation run through his back.

"I deffinantly did" Marek suddenly let out a long sigh at the feeling of what he was doing.

Then the pain started as something started to push at his back.

Marek groaned in pain. "what the hell?" pulled away from her as the pain built. "Chyrosa what did you do..." the pain was building in his back as he cried out dropping to his knees.

The pain stopped, and he felt whole. "Marek.....I..." Chyrosa started to talk. "I...." Chyrosa had tears running down her cheeks, her hands flew up to cover her face.

"Chyrosa whats going on?" he asked as he felt tingles through his body.

"Marek..." she mubbled into her hands. "I thought.... it'd make you happy... I told him.... and it was his surgestion.....Marek....."

"That still doesnt tell me whats going on Chyrosa." he said kneeling there looking up at her, He tried to get to his feet but a pain shot through his back so he stayed on his knees.

Then the pain was gone completely.

"I just wanted to get them back to you...." Chyrosa cried, kneeling infront of him, hands over her face to hide the tears.

Thats when he put it together, she had tried to give him his wings back. "Oh Baby" he pulled her gently against him cradling her against his chest. "Chyrosa that was so sweet of you to think of me like that, please please don't cry." he said softly hating the sounds of the woman he loved crying it was ripping his heart out.

"I didn't want to hurt you.....they are beautiful....." Chyrosa cried into his chest, hugging him. Marek felt her gently run a finger over 'something' that hasn't been there in centuries.

Suddenly he could feel them, He turned his head and looked over his shoulder. Two huge beautiful wings graced his back now. "Oh Chyrosa" he said lovingly as tears of joy filled his eyes as he looked back down at her. "Thank you Chyrosa thank you so much" he hugged her tight as he let his wings flex out feeling them move again. It was as if they had never been taken from him he felt whole again.

Chyrosa cried against him. "I... I... asked for him to help me..... I thought it would be a gift to you......"

"Chyrosa this is the best gift I could ever ask for. Yes their was pain but my wings are a living part of me just like my arm so it would be like trying to reform one of those." he said lovingly as he hugged her close. "This is a truely wonderful gift Chyrosa really it is please don't cry" he begged her.

"I love you.....Suzaku helped.... with a Phoenix tear he brought with him...."

"I love you so much and thank you so much, I deffinantly have to go to the temple and thank Suzaku" he pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss.

Chyrosa hugged and kissed him back. "I love you....too...."

Marek smiled loving down at her. "Now come on lets try these babies out" he said and suddenly before she knew it suddenly they were in the sky. Marek held her tight in his arms as he flew into the sky.

---

Oracle looked at Tallia. "She is on your back, appearing as a normal tattoo.... and yes that is where you and Genbu are going today.... while I have a meeting myself with...... a young man...."

"Okay. That is so weird, a living tattoo animal thing. Do you have a shower I can use?" Tallia asked her.

"Of course, Tallia.... out the door, and just head back down the hall, and your will find the bathroom...."

"Thanks, Oracle," Tallia said. She grabbed her backpack, and walked down the hall, looking for the shower.

She found the bathroom. She heard Genbu in there, the door slightly out.

"You beat me!" Tallia said. She was tempted to go in anyway, but the relationship seemed too important for that.

Genbu walked out, in nothing but his pants. His hair was wet, and dripping down his chest and back. "Sorry, love.... I'm done, now..." Genbu said, smiling down at he, towel in hand.

Tallia was sorely tempted to drag him back in to shower with her, but she didn't. "It's okay, I just feel in need of a shower in the mornings sometimes. Oh, and guess who I've met? Yin!"

Genbu laughed. "That is great, Tallia... and has Yin told you what your name use to be, not that I would wish you to use that name now...?"

"No...she didn't," Tallia told him.

"You and your twin were called Pol and Lux.... you were Lux.... but I think Tallia is best suited for today..." he said, and leaned down, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah, I think Tallia is much more appropriate than Lux is! But, onto my shower! And then we can go," Tallia said. She hugged him and kissed him on the lips.

Genbu left her to use the bathroom shower, heading off to his room.

Tallia took a lengthy shower, letting the water wash away all the dirt and enjoying the way it felt on her skin. She hadn't brought any products with her and hoped they wouldn't mind if she used their soap.

The soap was actually a set of bath oils that seemed to be modified for the show.

"Huh, nice," Tallia said. ((For the show, I'm slightly confused.))

((It's okay...))

There came a knock on the door. "Tallia, when you are ready, I'll be in the weapon room..." came Genbu.

"Okay...I'm almost done!" Tallia hollered at him and turned off the shower. She dried off and dressed in the change of clothes she brought. Then she looked in the mirror. "Hmm, how about a change?" she said to her reflection. She changed her hair to green and her eyes to purple.

"I like it," came Oracles voice as well as foot steps.

"Thanks, changing things around appearance wise is something I've been doing for a while," Tallia told her as she left the bathroom.

"I know.... wait til you can change you complete appearance... just imagine Genbu's face if you came in the room looking like a little child..." Oracle said and then laughed.

"Do you think I'll be able to do that? That'd be great for some of the things that I like to do! And yeah, his face would be pretty funny!" Tallia said.

"That is what you were able to do before...." Oracle said. "I will see you later..." She started to walk down a hall that hadn't been there before.

"Wow...that's just so cool!" Tallia said as she went to the weapons room to find Genbu.

When she entered the weapons room, she did not see Genbu. What greeted her was on of the statues that she had seen at the gate.

"Um, okay? He did say that he was also the beast guardian, right Yin?" Tallia asked.

"Caw!"

The tortoise eyes looked over at her, and the snake that was wrapped around it moved and also looked at her, seeming to smile. 'Hello love...'

"Hello...it's weird to see you like this, though. I mean, I know it's you, but at the same time the you now is two different animals stuck together...know what I mean?" Tallia rambled.

Genbu changed back, and said, "I was centering myself, and was in conversation with the other three..." Genbu walked over to Tallia. "So are you ready to go....? All I have to do is grab my cloak..."

"Okay, yeah, I'm ready. The other three guardians?" Tallia asked him, going with him to grab his cloak. "So are the snake bit and turtle bit connected or just intertwined?"

"Intertwined.... two creatures...yet one being...." he said, smiling at her. "And yes.... I was informing Khan of your discovery..."

"You're weird," Tallia said, smiling. It was obvious she was just teasing him. "Is Khan at the air temple?"

"Yes he is... Khan is the high priest of the Khan Temple, the air temple of the Zodiac...."

"Okay...and that's where we're going, right? I'm still getting used to everything. I know I had a brother and Oracle told me I would eventually be able to transform my entire body, but beyond that, I know nothing. Did we know each other before?" Tallia said as they went.

Genbu nodded, not looking at her. "Yes....As the high prists and guardians of the Zodiac we were given eternal life no matter what type of being we were.... at that time, I was human.... as was Oracle... she had gone off to Delphi where even at a young age she lead the Delphi oracles, having been blessed by Apollo.... I worked in the Earth Shrine in Greece, working with the three Zodiac that I held elemental authority over.... I had met you during a gathering as we all prepared for.... the war.... during that time, we had gotten to know each other...."

Tallia saw a flash of images as he explained. She saw her brother Pol, and her fellow Zodiac.... She saw two friends holding hands, lovingly as a young boy hooved above them with winged shoes.... she saw four that she know were all siblings, but not all by the parents.... she saw many others, hidden in memory's shadows..... she was brought back by Genbu say... "...but you were lost before I could tell you....I...."

"That's sad...have you been looking and waiting for me?" Tallia asked. Now her curiousity was sparked. "Cause if you have...Now you've FOUND me!"

Genbu nodded, looking over at her.

"So...how are we going to get there?" Tallia asked him.

Genbu grabbed her up in a hug, and kissed her. "Name a way, and I'll see if I can surprise you...."

"Ummm...well, I rode on you...I...don't know. Teleporting?" Tallia said. The idea of teleporting seemed far fetched, but so did this whole situation.

"I've never done it with another person, but I like the idea...come on..." Genbu took her hand, leading her back to the large main room of the Earth Shrine. He took her to the very front of the Shrine to a large statue of the creature Genbu. "Look into it's eyes...." he whispered into her ear, standing her in front of the statue. The statues eyes with actaully emeralds. "Think about Khan the White Tiger..." he continued to whisper.

She thought about him. She allowed her memories from the past to help her. She had known him in her past life, he was guardian of the temple she was a part of, after all!

As she stared into the emerald eyes of the statue, the emerald became clear quartz. "Welcome home to your temple, Lux...." came a gentle but firm voice behind her.

Tallia turned around. "Hi...I don't know if a temple is a good place for me. Or are we reborn with basically the same personalities we had before, because if that's the case, then it'd be fine? But thanks!"

A man with long hair and gentle eyes just stared at her, and then smiled shaking his head. "Lux... Lux... you are just how you have always been..." he said.

Tallia felt a hand get placed on her shoulder. "I see you and Khan are getting to know each other again, Tallia..." came Genbu's voice with a laugh.

"Just making sure. I wouldn't want to be suddenly kicked out of the group because of my penchant for murder and general mayhem! I enjoy it way too much! Although, I must admit, I've been fairly good for the last twenty-four hours or so," Tallia said. "Oh, and I was reborn with the name Tallia. But if you want to call me Lux, that's fine too."

Khan and Genbu laughed.

"What's so funny?" Tallia was confused. ((Wow, her speech patterns are just like mine whenever I'm excited about something.)) 

"You are my love," said Genbu, kissing her on the cheek. "You get excited..."

"Like she did then..." said Khan.

"So, temples are supposed to be places of good...I'm not generally a good person...in fact, I'm responsible for a fair amount of unsolved crimes...so, I can't help it if I'm worried about not being allowed to be here..." Tallia finished with a shrug.

"Temples are open to all....especially if you are a Zodiac and it is mine, Genbu's, Suzaku's, or Seiryuu's temple..." said Khan. "Again, welcome back, Tallia..."

"Thanks...I'm sure that Genbu has more reasons for visiting you...maybe, but my main reason is to figure out exactly what I'm able to do. I've been able to change my hair and eyes since I can remember, but beyond that, my memories are still not back completely," Tallia told him. "Genbu said we could come here and find out."

"Yes, I can help you...." said Khan. "Before you and your brother were each one half of a whole, yin and yang.... both of you though are choose to either change just your hair and eyes, or your whole body.... you even was able to have private conversations in each other's minds...."

"Wow...it'd be good for what I like to do to be able to change myself completely! It'd be really great to have a brother. My current family disowned me because of what I choose for my hobbies," Tallia said.

"Wow...it'd be good for what I like to do to be able to change myself completely! It'd be really great to have a brother. My current family disowned me because of what I choose for my hobbies," Tallia said.

Khan looked sad like remembering something. "You were disowned in the past as well... both you and your brother..... and even if he hadn't be, he would have left to be with you.... even though you two had been completely different, you two were still alike..."

"It's happened to me twice? It was probably better the last time...I had a brother...but it was hard this time. Is he alive?" Tallia asked.

"we don't know... but if you are here, he will have to be somewhere..." Khan said. "I do hope we find him soon... as well as the others..."

"I'll be glad, also when the others are found, but I'll be so glad to have family again...I wonder if he'll still like me?" Tallia said. "Oh well, so...what exactly do I need to do to be able to do what I could before?"

"You need to awaken his memories...."

"I...I don't know where he is or how to do that..." Tallia said, looking down.

Khan nodded, then said, "I would say, meditate in your special corner.... like you and he have done on occassion...."

"My special door...?" Tallia asked.

"Corner...." said Khan simply. "I would always find you off in that corner...." he said pointing to a far corner with twin tigers, one on each wall around the corner making it like a private open room.

Tallia went to go look at it. "I'm glad to know that we liked each other. Maybe he'll like me after all," she said as she started to sit down in the corner.

A memory hit her: the clothing was that of the ancient greek times...She had been having a very bad day...and she hadn't wanted to talk to anyone.... she headed towards the corner, and her brother was there sitting in the corner. He just looked at her, and just patted the sit across from him, and she sat down... it was like just sitting there together that seemed to relax her, and calm her..... she had ran into there parents, which was not a good meeting.... they had yelled at her that it was her fault that Pol had disappeared.... she remembered first coming to the temple, it was talked about for being a safe place, plus she had been drawn to it, and that it was Khan that had welcomed her.... and then not long after, Pol came in looking for her... saying that they were in this together forever....

Tallia, for the first time since her family had disowned her, wept. She felt it again, and ached for the brother she didn't know.

Genbu walked over. "Tallia..." he said softly, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Tallia looked up at him, "I barely remember him right now, but I ache for him...it's a strange feeling." Tallia was still crying a little.

Genbu pulled her into a hug.

"Are you and Oracle twins?" Tallia asked him.

Genbu shook his head. "No... she's my younger sister.... she likes to spend time with the sisters of Khan, Suzaku, and Seiryuu....Suzaku and Seiryuu are the other two priests...."

"Do all the priests have a sister?" Tallia asked, curious and wanting to think of something else.

"There are four priests, and each of us have sisters.... think of it as the next line of priests of the Zodiac if something were to happen to us...."

"Ahh, but why are all the priests male and all have sisters? Do all the priests have to be the same gender?" Tallia asks.

"No they don't have to be.... but it had been us that had been choosen by the gods that we share the names of..."

"Oh...I guess that makes sense. But...I kind of need a fix...I'm...I'm not sure how to get one, though," Tallia said. ((She means she needs to kill someone or something of that sort.))

Genbu smirked, baring his fangs, while Khan just shook his head at Genbu. "Go, both of you..." said Khan. "Just please don't go after any innocences..."

"Of course not, Khanny!" Tallia said. "Now, Genbu, where should we go?!" Tallia's hair turned black with blood colored streaks and her eyes turned red. ((This style shoud be easy to remember because it's so obviously a killing mood!)) Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"I know a perfect place where a lot of major non-innocent people hang out..." he said, smiling over at Khan then Tallia. "Shall we?"

Tallia took his arm, "Yes. Yes we shall!" Tallia licked her lips.

Genbu smiled down at her, then they disappeared. They reappeared in a city that was only lite up by the lights of the city. In Kentucky it had been day, not yet noon....but here it was into the evening hours. "Welcome to Hong Kong, Tallia..." Genbu said. He didn't have on his cloak, and he looked in love with the night air.

"It's so well lit! Now...I'm hankering for some...blood!!" Tallia whispered in his ear, eerily.

"Good, my dear...." he said. "Now come.... we hunt..." Genbu started to lead Tallia down the streets of Hong Kong.

She followed, eyeing passersby. 

"No...love..." Genbu whispered. "Just wait...." He started to lead her down an alley way.

"I wasn't going to do anything to them, but they're giving me funny looks," Tallia whispered back, anticipating the action that would come.

"Not really.... they are use to it..." Genbu said as he stopped them, pointing back down the alley to the street just as one hot pink haired girl and a girl with spiked rainow hair walked by.

"Meh...it was an excuse," Tallia said.

Genbu laughed. "Our prey is just ahead of us....That building right there," he said pointing to it.

Tallia looked to where he was pointing. "What type of prey are we hunting exactly? You know...besides human beasty?"

"Human trafficers," Genbu said with a fanged smile.

Tallia shivered with excitement. She hated the idea of that. A person's life should be their own, unless they like being enslaved. But very few people did. "Let's do this," Tallia said.

Genbu smiled at her, took his arm from her and rushed a door, blasting it open with a kick.

Several man jumped up. "What's going on?!" shouted a man that appeared to be the leader.

Genbu smiled, showing his fangs, as he reached back to Tallia, bringing her forward.

A few of the man smiled evily at seeing Tallia. Genbu continued to smile, and said, "Your deaths...." He voice was deathly calm.

"They think I may be a toy in their little ring...ha!" Tallia said, also smiling...a look of killing in her eyes.

"Get them!!" the leader shouted.

"I'll be feeding on a few of them.... if you'd like the leader..." Genbu said deadly.

Tallia looked at the leader, "You've had your last fun with some innocent girl!" Tallia moved to attack him.

The leader pulled out a knife going at her.

"Oh, come on? A knife? Why if I had one of my swords I'd..." Tallia said, taunting him somemore. 

Genbu, who was draining one of the followers, said, "Oh like this one...."

One of Tallia's favorite swords appeared in her hand.

The leader's eyes widened, and he attacked at her wildly.

Tallia giggled, "Thanks, love!" Then she slashed at the hand of his holding the knife, hoping not to cut it completely off, but to sever it enough that it just dangled uselessly.

The man screamed. "Bitch!!" The hand hung on a thread of skin.

"Wonderful, love...." Genbu said, smiling, blood on his fangs.

"Thank you...Now, which limb would you like to lose next?" Tallia asked the leader. She slashed at his knee, trying to sever his leg.

"AHHHH!!!!"

Genbu laughed.

Tallia laughed too, but then she yawned, "You're getting boring I think I'm just going to..." Tallia cuts off the man's head, "Yeah, do that."

Three man rushed Tallia, chains and knives swinging.

"Really, I mean, really?" Tallia said as she hacked at the hands they were holding stuff in, laughing the entire time.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!" the men screamed.

Genbu's deep laugh joined her's. "Die!"

"Wow, they think they're so good at this...but they're not. So many limbs littering the floor!" Tallia said.

Genbu pulled Tallia against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you..."

Tallia looks up at him, "I was afraid...because I didn't remember you...I didn't know what you would think about this part of me...but I see you like this as much as I do! I love you too!" Tallia kisses him.

Genbu kissed Tallia back. "I told you.... I may be a priest, but that doesn't change my instincts....." He smiled at her.

"That was fun...and I'm glad...but I just needed to know for myself. I needed proof or something, you know?" Tallia asked. "It's not so much that I didn't believe what you said, it's more that I was just being cautious. I've kept to dull, trainable men for a reason."

Genbu smirked. "Do I need to be trained? Or do you prefer my untrianed ways?"

"Pshaw, you're as untrainable man as there ever was...and you know it, too," Tallia said. "You'd terrify every man who has ever had the misfortune to be in contact with me in that way."

"Like your boy at the shop?" he smirked.

"Wait...what'd you do...? I was gone for a little bit...did you do something to him or say something to him?" Tallia asked him. "Cause my shop currently depends on having people willing to run it for free."

"Tallia..." he said shaking his head. "I didn't do anything to him.... I just looked at the weapons...."

"Okay...just checking...I didn't think you had, though," Tallia said. "My shop will need to be closed down for a while, I think."

"Oh..."

"I just don't want to have to worry about it while something else is going on...like it seems there will be," Tallia told him. "Besides, I have a sponser who'll more than keep me in business!"

Genbu smiled, then kissed her again.

Tallia kissed him back.

"Shall we head back, or would you like to see the Hong Kong version of Hamlet?" Genbu asked with a smile.

"Hmmm, let's head back...I have plans for you," Tallia said.

"Oh really?" Genbu asked, smirking.

"Oh yes..." Tallia just slid a finger under the strap of her top and pulled it off her shoulder, smiling at him.

Genbu smiled. "Really..." They disappeared, appearing in his weapons room.

"I thought you had problems with teleporting with a second person?" Tallia asked, remembering that she had needed to look into a statue's eyes the first time.

"I'm full..." he smirked.

"Ooohh, okay," Tallia said, smirking too. She grabbed ahold of the front of his shirt and drew him into a smouldering kiss.

Genbu's arms held Tallia tightly against him, kissing her back.

((I think this is where we cut scene and go to them in bed together, but I'm not entirely sure...))

{HAPPY HOUR}

Genbu layed in bed, holding Tallia.

Tallia snuggled in close and her eyes were getting droopy. She had time to register that she'd never felt this at home with a man or this tired after amazing sex before...she also realized it had never been so great before.

Genbu stroked Tallia's hair and back. "I love you...."

"Love you..." Tallia said as she fell asleep with her head nuzzled on his chest. ((I HAD to, I love doing that with Josh...it makes me feel so safe!))

Genbu held her falling asleep as well.

Tallia smiled as she went to sleep.

Tallia dreamed of having more murderous fun with Genbu.

Tallia woke up, stretching and opening her eyes.

"And how did you sleep?" came Genbu's voice.

"Nice, I had dreams we were doing more of what we did earlier," Tallia told him.

"Mmmmm.... I like that..." said Genbu.

"It was nice reliving it...wait...I don't think we're talking about the same earlier...you better show me which part you mean," Tallia said, mischeviously.

Genbu smiled showing his fangs.

"Yup, that's exactly what I'm talking about...It was fun...Did we ever do anything like that before?" Tallia asked, curious to know what life had been like before she died the first time.

"We did...but I couldn't get my feelings out to you..."

"So you're not taking any chances this time, huh?" Tallia said, poking him. "That's okay, I'm glad you're not taking any chances because I've long been lonely."

Genbu wrapped his arms Tallia, nuzzling her neck, kissing her.

Tallia kissed him back. "Genbu, do you think we'll be able to find my brother? I don't mean to change the subject so quickly, I'm just worried about him."

"I know that we will..." he said smiling down at her.

"Okay, that's good. I didn't call anyone in to run my shop tomorrow, so it'll just stay closed for a whlie. There's not a schedule, I just call people in when I don't feel like being stuck in there," Tallia told him. "I'll just need to check on it every so often."

"Alright love...." Genbu said, nuzzling her neck.

Tallia leaned into him.

...Gabriel... the name ran through Tallia's head.

Tallia sat up straight, "Gabriel?! What?"

Genbu looked at her. "What was that, Tallia? Who's Gabriel?"

'....I'd never leave you, Lux, you're my sister....we're family....I don't care what mom and dad said....' Tallia heard a young male voice say, sounding as though some distant memory. Her own voice followed, '...Thank you, Pol.... you are the best....'

"I...I think Pol's name is now Gabriel...but I'm not sure," Tallia said. A tear slipped down her cheek at the memory of her brother's words, though.

Genbu nodded. "Well, we know that Pol can't be Tallia...." he said jokingly. "We'll fine him.... if he is awaking to who he is, he will be drawn to Khan's temple...." he said, seriously.

"Yeah...can we at least let Khan know what his name is so he can watch for him?" Tallia asked.

"Of course..... let's get dressed.....and head over..."

"Okay...that sounds like a plan," Tallia said as she got out of bed and put her clothing back on.

Genbu also got dressed. "Come on..." he said with a smile, leading her back to the main room.

Tallia followed him. "I guess if I have a name, it means he's alive, right?"

Genbu nodded. "That's what I'd say, love..." He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her.

Tallia kissed him back and Genbu could feel, even though they were kissing, a big smile on her face.

When Genbu pulled back from the kiss, Tallia could see that they were are Khan's temple.

"Ah...Genbu...Tallia.... it is nice to see you two so soon..." said Khan walking up to them.

"We're here to tell you what my brother's name is," Tallia told him.

"Really....." said Khan.

"I had a name pop into my head and then a memory with it. The name was Gabriel and I think that's his reborn name," Tallia told him.

"Hmmmm.... so that is where Yang flew off to....."

"My brother's bird was here before?" Tallia asked him.

"Just as your's was...." said Khan.

"Really? They came to the temples while we were gone? I wasn't sure how that worked...if they died when we did or if they just waited for us..." Tallia said, getting distracted...((just like Amathya!))

Khan and Genbu laughed lightly. "They are creatures of the heavens.... just as you and the Zodiac.... they can never truly die.....but they were not killed....you had been...." said Khan.

"Oh...Okay, I guess that makes sense. Why weren't Pol and I reborn as twins to the same family again this time?" Tallia asks him.

"Your souls must have been separated by someone or something..." said Khan.

"Really? That happened? Things would have been a lot easier if on me if it hadn't...I'd thought about suicide for a while," Tallia confessed.

Genbu hugged Tallia. "I'm glad that you didn't...."

"Me too, believe me! But, I would never have thought that if I had had someone around this time," Tallia said.

Genbu kissed Tallia. "I'm here for you..."

"I know...you are NOW, but before, when I was first disowned, was hard and nearly impossible. I even stooped to self mutilation...for about a day...but then I just got tougher on my hunts..." Tallia told them.

Genbu nodded.

"Let us not think of the past as we are now....but on the present that is decided upon by the far past..... like your brother...." said Khan.

"Okay...his new name is Gabriel, I think," Tallia told him again. "I don't know anything else about him, though."

---

Vander sat stunned. He had never thought of this as a gift before. "The moon? Is that Shaiya...because that's what she looked like in the dream."

'When you first gained your gift as the Zodiac of Cancer during that time.... you thought it was a curse then too.... until, sitting alone on a beach, a young woman came up to you and asked if you were all right.... she helped you....'

"Yes...but did I have family then?" Vander asked. "My current family thinks I've died." ((I'm not sure how much he currently remembers.))

'Your brother and sister..... Erebus, the shadow..... Nyx, the night.... they have been able to sense you, but not see you... and your daughter....' said the crab. 'But... the name.... it's like it was taken from my memory....'

"I...I have a daughter?" Vander said, running his hands through his hair. "My sister is the night and my brother is the shadows? And I'm Invisiboy." He feebly tried to make a joke.

The crab clicked its claws, seeming to laugh.

"I... I've heard that before....." came Shaiya voice from behind him, shakenly.

Vander turned around. "Heard what before? The crab's claws or the remark about Invisiboy?" Vander asked her.

"I've heard the 'My sister is the night and my brother is the shadows.... and I am Invisiboy...'," Shaiya said.

"Oh? I don't think I've said it before, after all, I just found out myself. Where'd you hear it?" Vander asked, really hoping that Shaiya really was Selene, like his dream seemed to tell him.

"You said it in my dream, Cancri...." she said. Then she looked confused, and said, "I.. I did it again... I called you Cancri, Vander...."

"Yes, you did. Apparently I am a reborn member of the Zodiac and Vineo here is my companion animal...?" Vander told her. "Cancri was my name from before."

Shaiya collapsed, unconscious.

Vander vaulted the couch, trying to get to her in enough time to catch her, or at least prevent her from injuring herself!

He was able to catch her, landing under her to break her fall.

"Oof!" Vander said. He manuevered himself and her so he was able to pick her up and lay her on the couch. He left to get some water for her.

"Cancri..." he heard from the living room, the voice was soft.

He rushed back into the living room with a half full glass of water. "I was just getting some water for you, Shaiya."

She looked up at him, with a loving smile. "Cancri... say my name, please? And thank you for catching me.... it's still to early for the kids...."

"Selene..." he said, his voice full of emotion.

"Oh my....Cancri...." she said, sitting up, and then standing. "We're back together again...."

"Yes, we are. It's wonderful. It's amazing!" Cancri/Vander said as he encircled her in his arms.

"I...I don't know how I helped you before...but...I will try to..." Shaiya/Selene said.

"It's okay. We'll figure it out. We have each other back again! And we'll find my brother and sister, too. Maybe they'll remember before we do," Vander said, looking at her.

"Oh Cancri....Vander....I love you...." she said, and kissed Vander.

"As I love you, Selene," Vander told her. "I always have, I just didn't know it all the time."

Shaiya nodd."We are newly born....with new experiences to guide us...." she said. "I am still Selene though I am now Shaiya, just as you are Cancri but also Vander...."

"Yes...it will be strange at first...but we'll be okay. Surely now that we know who we are, we'll be able to figure out my invisibleness. I'd love to be able to call my parents and tell them I'm not dead!" he told her as he held her. "Do you know what you'll tell Robbie and Crystal?"

"I am still their mother..." she said softly. "I don't want to involve them in this.... I... know I was.... killed....I don't want them in danger...." She had tears in her eyes.

"Do you know someone who can watch them? I have a feeling things may get bad again," Vander said, concerned. "Is there some place we can hide them? An aunt? A trusted friend?"

"No.... I'm alone...." she said. "Please.... Vander.... let's just keep this a secret..... you and me.... please...."

"That's fine. But, Shaiya Selene, the thing is...well, you were reborn, right? I was reborn, too...well, last time the invisibility was a gift from you, as I assume it is this time. I've been like this for two years, my love. That means you've been the moon the entire time in this life. You're children are...well...they're your's," Vander said, not quite sure how she would take what he said.

"I.... I don't want to...." Shaiya looked and sounded confused. "I don't want to expose them yet til we have things straighten out......"

"Okay, my love...do not despair, I will agree to whatever you want regarding them," Vander assured her.

"Thank you, Vander..... I have to go get them ready for Candy to take them to the childcare center...." Shaiya said softly.

"Okay, I'll hang out here...unless you need my help?" Vander asked.

"I can do it....but..." she said looking at him, getting ready to head to the children's rooms. "Could...you make breakfast?"

"Sure. One breakfast of scrambled eggs, coming up!" Vander said and headed toward the kitchen. He had a lot to think about.

'Daddy.... came a voice in Vander's mind. 'Why can't mommy and us wive on the moon together?' He heard his own voice reply, 'Because, my sweet bright light... something bad is coming, and mommy and I don't want you to get hurt...'

"Oh," Vander stopped what he was doing, hoping the memory would expand. He didn't even know his child's name.

'But daddy.... you are strong.... you can protect us....plus you and mommy said that I make the moon bright with my smile.... so my brightness will Bwlind them bad people.... A liitle girl smiled at Vander, or Cancri. He heard himself laugh. 'Phoebe, my precious.... you are right... he does blind....' He saw himself playing blind, and her jumping on him laughing. 'Oh daddy....'

"Phoebe," Vander said, and a tear escaped his eye. "My daughter, my bright one." He wished he could find her. Maybe if his sister or brother were still alive, they would know what happened to her. But he couldn't remember how to get a hold of them. He turned the lights out so that shadows filled the kitchen. "Erebus, if you're still alive...what...what happened to our daughter?" He then turned the lights back on and went back to making breakfast.

Vander heard Shaiya off in the bedrooms with the children, trying to get them to wake up.

"Who calls me in the shadows here....?" came a familar voice behind him.

"Erebus!" Vander said as he turned around and saw his brother. "Shaiya Selene! My brother's here...I don't know if he can see me yet or not, though. Can you?" Vander gave him a brotherly hug.

"Who...?" said Erebus, feeling something.

Shaiya walked into the kitchen. When she saw Erebus, and he her, they said each other's names at the same time. "Erebus/Selene!"

"You have your memories?" he asked.

Shaiya nodded. "Yes.... as does Vander...."

Erebus looked confused. "Vander?"

Shaiya smiled. "Yes, Vander....that is his name now....Cancri...."

Erebuw smiled big. "When? Where?"

"This morning..... and hugging you..."

"Cancri...." he said softly. "Nyx is going to be so happy..."

Vander quits hugging his brother and goes over to Shaiya, taking her hand. Now that he's visible he says, "Where is she? Is she okay? Do you know what happened to Phoebe?"

"Phoebe?" questioned Shaiya, but then tears formed in her eyes, and she started crying into Vander's shoulder.

"Phoebe..." said Erebus softly. "She grew up after both of your deaths, joining the other moon goddesses.... but one night.... she was pulled into Zeus's room for a private talk.... she hasn't been seen since....."

Vander started crying too. He couldn't talk for a moment and just stood there silently crying and holding Shaiya.

"But I think I have run into her decendant.... into her reborn...." he said softly.

"Phoebe's been reborn!? Where is she?" Vander asked. "We'll find her!"

"I know where she is.... I didn't know it was her at first.... because of the elven bloodline she was born into.... I just realized it just a while ago...." Erebus said. Then softly he said, "i've kissed her...on the lips, brother...."

"What are you saying exactly?" Vander asked. Confused, but glad if he's found his daughter. But isn't it weird to have an uncle and niece together, if that is what his brother means?

"I am saying Vander that she is not your daughter by birth, but in her soul she is..... and I have a pull towards her just as I had before, but I hide it because of my love for you..... even those I know that in the eyes of the gods, relationships were not like how humans think of their own relationships...."

"That's okay...really, it's okay. I know she'll be in good hands with you. I trust you. She's okay? You've seen her, so she's okay, right?" Vander said, still holding onto Shaiya.

Shaiya looked at Erebus wanting that answer too.

"Yes...she is..." Erebus said. "She has just been through a lot...and she is currently waiting for me...." Erebus looked at Shaiya. "She is currently worried about the silvering of her blonde hair.... the Moon did always go through phases..." He smiled. "I will return....or you may join us in Ashland....the guardians are there as well...." Erebus disappeared.

Vander looks at Shaiya, "I think we should go. Many of ours seem to be there. Have Robbie and Crystal ever been on a vacation? We could tell them that's what we're doing..." Vander told her.

Shaiya looked down. "Robbie was born in Kentucky.... that's where Ashland is... and Crystal.... she was born between there and here...."

"Do you...do you not want to go? Would the memories be invoked and be too painful for you?" Vander asked. "I will stay with you, my love."

"We have to do this..... but work....and my schooling....." Shaiya said. Just then a letter slipped under the door. "Huh???"

"We'll figure things out. What does it say?" Vander asked.

Shaiya walked over, and picked up the letter. "I don't know....." she said. Shaiya openned up the letter, her eyes went wide. "...N...nnnooo... no no...." She sounded scared.

"What? What's wrong?" Vander rushed to her side.

Shaiya folded up the letter, then looked at Vander. "I... I... have to get the kids finished and off.... and I have class and work..... I....Robbie! Crystal! Come on we're going to be late!"

"Coming mommy!"

Shaiya kissed Vander. "I'll be back later... and then we can get pack and ready for our trip....." she said to him softly. "I'll just get the kids something on our way.... I'll be back later... and the kids will be dropped off after that...." Shaiya layed the letter down, gathered up the kids and was out the door. Vander could tell that she was hiding something big.

He couldn't help himself...he had to know...but then, wouldn't that be betraying her trust? He stood looking at the letter after they'd left, warring with himself whether or not to look at it.

There had been something in her eyes that yelled that she didn't want to go to Kentucky, but that she had to...

He couldn't handle it anymore...he picked up the letter.

The letter was from the state of Kentucky. Shaiya was being called back to the state for a custody hearing involving her children by, who he could assume was, her parents.

Vander put the letter back exactly as it was. "I will not allow anyone to take them from you!"

An envelope appeared on the coffee table.

Vander looked at it...he didn't want to be the first to open it if it was Shaiya's.

The envelope was addressed to Shaiya AND Vander.

"Well...if it's addressed to both of us..." Vander said, picking it up and opening it.

Inside was a letter, a set of keys, and four plane tickets.

Vander read the letter.

'Selene and Cancri... I am so glad that you are back..... Brother, when Erebus sent work, I just couldn't contain my happiness, the day in the Orient lasted two hours longer.... I hope that you come see us... and I have something to tell you..... Both of you and the kids have tickets to come here, and I really hope that you both come to stay.... those keys are for a place for you to stay in if you decide to stay.... ~Nyx'

"I would love to be able to go see you, but I don't know how to get a letter back or how to contact you. Selene has been having problems with the custody of the kids and I don't know if going to Kentucky is such a good idea," he said out loud to himself.

The phone rang.

Vander thought a moment and tried really hard to appear. He then picked up the phone, "Hello?"

"Vander..." came Shaiya's voice. "I'm sorry I just ran out on you.... I.... I'll explain....just later.... please understand.... I....could you do me a huge favor....?"

"Um...Shaiya...We need to talk about something. What's the favor, though?" Vander asked.

"Could you go to the hall closet and pull out the three suitcases in there?" she asked. "I.... I'm just going to call in to work and tell them I can't work because of something family related..... and I'll be home after my class that starts in five minutes...."

"Yes...great! We have plane tickets...a place to stay...all from Nyx!" Vander said. "I'll see you soon!"

"What? I...." she started. "Never mind... I have to go... class.... see you soon...." The phone dail tone rang in his ear.

Vander got out the suitcases like she asked. Then he waited for her to come home.

Shaiya came in the door just after two o'clock. "Vander!" she called out. "What did you mean we have plane tickets....I....?"

Vander ran to where she was. He held up the second letter. "This is from my sister, Nyx, she sent us plane tickets, all four of us, and keys for a place to stay. We need to go there. She wants to see me and you, and Robbie and Crystal too. I think...I think this is what we should do," Vander gave her the letter.

Shaiya nodded. "It saves money.... it was sweet of Nyx... Erebus must have seen and said something about Robbie and Crystal.....their pictures....." She layed the letter down, and hugged Vander. "I have to get the kids packed, and me packed..... and you new clothes......"

"Don't worry, we can get clothing for me when we arrive. One more day in this isn't going to hurt. It was clean before I got here. You just worry about yourself and the kids. I'd help, but I don't know what you'd want to have along!" Vander told her.

"Just a few changes of clothes for the children, a book or two between the two of them, and each of their own teddy bears..." she said. "if you want to, you can do them..... and I'll take care of my bag....."

Vander went with the children to help them. He went through a couple of drawers and took out what he thought might be good changes of clothes. He packed a couple of books and he brought them their teddy bears.

((The children are not there.... she came home early for all of this...))

Shaiya went off to pack her bag. When she was done, she had it sitting by the door. She picked up her phone and called her sitting, telling her that she'd be picking the kids up early.

Vander came in where she was, "You may want to make sure that I packed what you wanted. Being a guy and not having had to pack very often may have messed up what I packed."

Shaiya nodded, and headed to view his packing. She laughed lightly. "Love you did well...." Softly she said, "Thank you..."

"Anytime, seriously, I don't mind helping you out. You may want to have the kids pick one thing they want to pack...just because sometimes a kid will have something hidden away that's special to them," Vander said. "I did that when I was young and one drawing that I did got left behind because I had stashed it somewhere."

"Okay.... I will..." Shaiya said. "I... I...." he voice was soft as she spoke now. "I...I'm scared...."

"Shaiya Selene, we're in this together. We'll get things figured out, okay?" Vander said, pulling her into a hug and kissing the top of her head.

Shaiya nodded. "I... okay.... Vander.... I should get the children....."

"Okay, love, I'll be here when you get back." Vander told her.

"Alright...." Shaiya said, kissing his cheek before she left.

Vander made sure that things were in order. He made sure the suitcases were by the door ready to go and that the rooms were neat and tidy for the landlord.

After a while, Shaiya came into the apartment with Robbie and Crystal. "Mommy.....why are the suitcases there....?" Robbie asked.

"Because sweety....we're all going on a trip..."

"Yay!" Robbie and Crystal shouted.

Vander smiled at their excitement.

"Go you two.... your bag is packed, but you both need to pick out one thing you want to bring...."

Both children ran off.

Shaiya watched them leave, hugging herself.

Vander went over to her, "Shaiya's not alone anymore, and Selene never really has been. I love you and I always will...even through rebirth! We'll get through this. And don't you have family too, as Selene?"

"The Sun and the Dawn....."

"Well, now that my sister has found us both again, it's only a matter of time before she tells your sister...those two have been friends," Vander said.

Shaiya nodded.

"Mommy, Mommy!" shouted Robbie running in with Crystal. Robbie and Crystal both had a little bag.

"Ready?" she said.

"Yes!"

Shaiya smiled to them.

"I've got the plane tickets, the keys, and the letter from Nyx," Vander said, holding them up. "Since I don't have anything to pack, I'll just hold onto these."

Shaiya looked at Vander, and said, "And you need to hold on to me at the airport and on the airplane...."

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that..." Vander said. "I could just go on the plane invisible..."

"I would think that you'd want to go visible so that you can talk to others and everything...." Shaiya said.

"Mommy....you talking to inviso-boy?" asked Robbie.

Vander cracked up laughing at that. He put his arm around Shaiya, "Robbie, did you get everything you wanted with you?"

"Yes, inviso-boy...." said Robbie looking up at Vander.

"Inviso-boy!" shouted Crystal, laughing.

Shaiya smiled.

"I think I've become a superhero whose powers are invisibility," Vander said, laughing.

"You the one that said that your name..." Robbie said.

"I did? I thought I told you my name was Vander," Vander said. He looked at Shaiya, "Weren't they asleep when we were talking?"

"I thought so...." Shaiya said.

"He said it on the beach.... and mommy kissed you...."

"Eww!" said Crystal.

Vander looked at him, "When were we on a beach?"

"It was at night.... and the moon was biiiiiigggg" Robbie said, holding his arms out to to show the size.

"I bet the moon was quite pretty, too," Vander said, smiling at Shaiya. "Were you Robbie that night?"

"I was....watching I was invisible..."

"You were invisible? How'd you get invisible?" Vander asked him, confused.

"I don't know... I was in my dream.... but you and mommy were dress in sheets...you were in a short dress...."

Shaiya looked at Vander.

"Did you like the dream?" Vander asked him.

"yes.... you two were happy... I want mommy happy..."

"We'll make Mommy happy together, okay?" Vander looked at Crystal and included her in on the agreement.

The children both nodded.

"We need to get going...." said Shaiya.

"Yes, let's go! We're going to all have fun, right?" Vander asked as they started leaving.

the children shouted in agreement.

"Shh....children....remember your manners..." Shaiya reminded them, and the two nodded. Shaiya locked up the apartment, and headed down to go get a cab with them to the airport.

Vander waited with them, helping his love to keep an eye on the children.

They got to the airport, and checked them in. They walked to the waiting area, all of them sitting down, waiting for the airplane.

"Now, we have to make sure that we have all our stuff when we go. And we need to stay together, it's a big place!" Vander felt natural slipping into a fatherly mode. "We don't want to leave anything behind, okay?"

Shaiya smiled and giggled at him

Robbie and Crystal nodded.

A woman walked by. "You two have beautiful children..." She walked off.

Shaiya just watched the woman leave, pink on her cheeks.

Vander squeezes her hand.

"She...she thought that...." Shaiya stammered looking at Vander. "I'm glad..."

"If you're okay with it, then I am too. They're cute kids," Vander whispered to her. Louder towards the kids and smiling, "And even if they were ugly little beasts, I'd still put up with them!"

"Hey!!" the children shouted, tackling him.

Shaiya laughed holding Vanders hand tighter.

Vander laughed too, listening for the anouncement of their flight.

An announcement sounded that their flight was now boarding.

"Okay Robbie, Crystal..... come on..." said Shaiya.

"Remember what I said: stay close!" Vander told them as they gathered their stuff. He kept an on them as they walked.

They were able to get seated. Shaiya helped Crystal get belted in and Robbie, hooking her arm still with Vander's.

"Has anyone ever been on a plane before?" Vander asked them.

Robbie said, "I don't know..."

Shaiya shook her head. "We need had the money.... I was able to get us down here by a train ticket because the children were free......"

"Okay...well, there might be some bumpiness, okay kids? Don't be alarmed, though," Vander told them. 

The children nodded. "Okay...inviso-boy..."

Vander smiled at them and at Shaiya. "Well, Shaiya Selene, it looks like we've got our hands full here..."

Shaiya laughed, nodding. "But.... at least we are doing this together...."

"Yes, I'm not so sure we two can handle such children...we may have to call in a Super Nanny or something," Vander said, his eyes twinkling.

"noononono!" went Robbie and Crystal.

"Okay...I think your mother and I can handle you kids after all...no need for a super nanny," Vander told them. "Besides, you'll soon be meeting my sister and brother."

"Viso-boy has a brather and saster...." said Crystal.

"Yes, I do. We're actually going on a trip to go see my sister. You guys will like her," Vander told them.

"Yay!" shouted the children. Shaiya laughed at them.

Vander squeezed Shaiya's hand. "My sister may even meet us at the airport," Vander told them.

Shaiya nodded. "That would be great....I want the children to get settled as soon as possible....they can get really excited...."

"We can hear you mommy," said Robby.

Shaiya smiled at him. "I know sweety...."

"Oh, well...if they are excitable children I guess I shouldn't say anything about the...nope, never mind, I just won't say anything," Vander said.

"What?! What?! Please! Inviso-boy!"

"Nope, don't you two like surprises? You'll just have to wait and see," Vander told them. "It'll give you something to look forward to when we land."

They both nodded excitedly.

Soon the plane took off, as did the children into their own dreams. Shaiya smiled down at them. "My precious ones..." she said softly. "Vander.... thank you....."

"Hey, no problem...besides, there really will be plenty of surprises for them when we arrive. Many people will want to meet them," Vander told her.

Shaiya laughed. "I hope so...."

"They're great kids. You've done well by them. Remember how everyone treated Pheobe?" Vander asked. (I'm assuming Pheobe was rather doted upon by her aunts and uncles as were their children?)

((Yes....^_^ ))

Shaiya nodded. "I love you..."

Vander put his forehead to Shaiya's, "I love you, too, my Shaiya Selene."

Shaiya snuggled into Vander. "My Cancri...." she whispered. She fell asleep as well.

Soon the plane landed.

Vander gently shook everyone awake, "We've landed...is everyone ready to see where we are?"

"Yeah!" shouted Robbie and Cyrstal.

Shaiya smiled, yawning. "Grab your special bags.."

Vander lead them off the plane into the terminal.

After they were able to get out of the airport, there was a black car waiting for them. A sign in the window read: 'Cancri, Selene, and children'.

Vander pointed it out to Shaiya, "It looks like that's our ride." He also pointed it out to the kids.

The children ran off to the car, and Shaiya walked with Vander. "It looks like it..."

A woman got out of the front seat. "Cancri....Selene..." she said with a smiled. "It is good to see you too again..."

"I'd like you to meet Robbie and Crystal," Vander pointed to the two kids. ((Who is it?)) ((Thothoria....daughter of Thoth.....))

"I know these little ones' names..." she said, smiling.

"How?" asked Crystal.

The woman smiled at her. "I know because it comes with my name.... Thothoria..... now I was asked to pick all of you up and take you to Epsilon Archer, Inc....."

"Epsilon..." Shaiya said softly. "Sagitarius...."

Thothoria smiled knowingly.

"Kids...you're going to meet some very interesting people soon, just like I promised...but if you get tired or anything, just let me or your mom know and we'll just go where we'll be staying, okay?" Vander told the kids. He smiled at Thothoria.

"Okay..." said the kids.

"Vander..." said Shaiya, squeezing his hand. "I have a meeting in an hour...."

Thothoria frawned, but nodded her head. "I can drop you off miss....."

Shaiya nodded. "Thank you...."

"Where's your meeting?" Vander asks her.

"At a lawyer's office...." she whispered to him.

"Okay...well, I'm sure Nyx would be okay with watching the kids...as soon as you leave, I"ll be invisible to them again," Vander whispered.

Shaiya nodded.

"Alright everyone.... hop in, so that we can be off..." said Thothoria.

Vander helped everyone into the car and got in himself.

Thothoria drove them to a very tall office building. "Welcome to Epsilon Archer..."

Vander looked at the building and thought about all the people inside that probably had some sort of magical ability.

"No...Vander.... all are normal...but the CEO, myself, and three others...." said Thothoria as they pulled into the parking garage.

I didn't say anything outloud because the kids haven't quite been let in on it, Vander thought towards Thothoria, They know I go invisible when their mother isn't touching me, but beyond that they are clueless.

---

"That's fine...but it needs life again. Oh, my paintings from before. Look there, you're just a baby. And over here, you're so cute with the flowers. Your father's so handsome," Cornelia turned to him. She drew him into a hug again, glad to have him and more of her memories back.

Semreh hugged back. "Mom.... what if I got all your painting from now back, including the ones that you thought were dream paintings?"

"That'd...that'd be great...but if there are paintings in museums, I'd like them to stay. I just want them back from the people who stole them. If it is an institution that allows people to just enjoy art, I'd like them to keep them," Cornelia told her son. "It's not fair to the people who've enjoyed them legitamately to take them away again."

"Yes mother.... I'll be back in..." he thought for a second. "Time me...." Semreh raced from the home, flying off into the air. Every few seconds, Cornelia saw a streak of color and a painting or two of her's appearing around the room. It was 5 minutes later, that Semreh just appeared sitting on the couch. "There was a lot not in a museum, mom...." he said, lightly out of breath, smiling at her.

"Wow. It was five minutes, you always were a quick one!" Cornelia told him.

"Hey... I was made the messenger god, wasn't I?" he laughed.

"Yes, and you are so fast. Thank you so much for retrieving my work! I just...I just wish that things had gone different at the ward. How many others are like me and something happens to what they do?" Cornelia wondered.

"I don't know, mom.... I had been able to see their charts.... the doctor had it marked that you were going to be a lifetime patient....." Semreh said sadly.

"Ick! Thank goodness you came and visited me, then!" Cornelia hugged him again. She couldn't help but start to dislike everyone at the hospital.

He laughed, hugging back. "I had found you, I wasn't going to let them keep my mom...."

"No, of course not! Now, what exactly do I need to do today? Is there anyone I need to see? How many others are alive? Do you know?" Cornelia asked. But she was looking at her paintings and glad to have them back again.

"I still have to try and speak with father again... he has no memory of that past life..... and yes there is someone you should see..... but right now is not the time... a storm is brewing..." he said, looking out the window, seeming not to like the stillness. She didn't either.

"We need avoid whatever's coming. I can sense the trouble, too," Cornelia said.

A storm started to brew outside. "Hide."

"Downstairs!" Cornelia told him, pulling him toward the door to the basement.

"No... no.... I can't let you be found, mother.... we don't know who to trust.... and we fear Zeus may be behind some of the deaths of the Zodiac and even some gods....please just hide...." he said. He close the door to the basement on her before she could pull him through. She could not get it to open.

She waited, listening closely.

It was silent for a long time it seemed. Then she heard Semreh talking with someone, the man's voice was strong, telling her son to stop thinking on the past and to deliver some messages to his brothers. SHe hear Semreh answer him in a tone that the man seemed not to like, and then a loud slap, and the sound of something falling hard against the floor along with the shattering of glass.

Cornelia wished to go out there, but she also knew the man wouldn't kill her son. He needed Semreh's swiftness and memory for the delivery of the messages. She waited, continueing to listen.

There was silence for sometime, and then she heard the door click unlocked.

"Mom..." came Semreh's voice softly.

Cornelia came out, hugging her son. Running her hands over him for any sign of injury, worried. "What happened?"

"I'm fine...." he said, but he had glass cuts, and was bleeding.

"Let me just take care of your cuts and stuff, Semreh. It's been so long since I've bandaged you up. We'll just pretend it's a scraped knee from running too fast, okay?" Cornelia asked.

"More than just a knee..." he said, but then he just nodded. "Thank you mom...."

Cornelia went into the bathroom for medicine supplies. She took things to clean her son's wounds. She remembered to grab a tweezers in case she needed to remove glass pieces. She sat him down in the kitchen and went to work on him. She hated how he'd come about the injuries, but she loved being able to take care of him again. "I'll just have you fixed right up!"

Semreh smiled. "Yes mom....thanks..... I've missed this....."

Cornelia fixed him up as best she could, hoping that his wounds would heal fast. "Was that him?"

"Under my position as the messenger of the god, Zeus is the highest authority...." Semreh said, looking down at his wrapped wounds. "Thanks mom..."

"Oh, well then, you walk a fine line, my son," Cornelia warned him. She didn't have all her memories back, but she knew her son would be in constant danger if he kept hiding her.

"Mom.... I am the one walking a fine line? Mom, I know you are still remember this distance past, but.... you as a Zodiac had a God or Goddess that was a mentor or guide.... someone that helpguide the Zodiac in their abilities, as you will need to relearn them.... but mom... that guide was also a protector when they had to....seeing as there was no knights for the Zodiac....." Semreh looked into his mother's eyes. "I, Mercury, was and am your mentor and guide... it is my duty to walk a fine line for your safety..... but I will be careful as always...."

"My mentor and guide is my own son? What a terrible burden to put on someone...I mean for you, not for me," Cornelia hugged him, careful of his wounds. She loved touching him, knowing he was real.

Semreh nodded. "Mom...stay inside, please.... I have to deliver this message...."

"Okay, I'll be waiting here when you return," Cornelia told him.

"I'll be back as fast as I can...." and with that he zoomed off again.

Cornelia decided to walk about the house, hoping to spark some more memories.

As she was walking about the house, Cornelia saw a statue that had for creatures on it. On the base, for the statue sat on a small pillar, was a tortoise, made of onyx, with a snake, of jade, wrapped around its body. On its right side, a dragon, of blue quartz, with no wings, but a long body seemed to extend for the tortoise, as if having been sitting next to it but was now moving away. On the left, was a tiger, made of white jade and its stripes made of obsidian, seemed to be leaping to the attack. And above was a bird bird, like a phoenix, made of ruby and sunstone, giving the bird a fiery appearance.

Cornelia reached out to run her fingers over the statue, it was pretty thing and the creatures were interesting looking. She was sure she had a wisp of memory about the statue somewhere in her mind.

Then it hit her. She had made it, for the guardian beasts of the Zodiac. She felt that if she pushed it a little, something important was to happen.

She pushed on it, anticipating something new and more memories to come.

A door that hadn't been there behind the statue opened up. The thought that this room contend very special paintings ran through her head. Paintings of the Zodiacs, different gods and goddesses, and of priests that helped them all.

She ran into the room, hopeful of more memories. Of her friends and relatives and husband and son. She hoped they were still there. She also tried to remember how to close the room behind her just in case something happened while her son was away.

The door closed on its own. She moved down a long hallway, into a circluar room. Paintings decorated the walls, and stood on stands along side more statues. With each painting, she heard the names ring in her head. 'The sbilings - Epsilon of Sagitarius, Aldebaran of Taurus, Ariusa of Aquarius, and Eta of Pisces..... Delta of Capricorn, always caring and helpful, but shy at times..... Antares of Scorpio, the silent..... Libby of Libra, the one that was all about rules, but seemed never to be able to follow them..... Regulus of Leo, the loyal, and his love Rhea and daughter Chyrosa, Regulus was the eldest of them all..... Cancri of Cancer, the brother of the night and shadows, love of the Moon..... Pol and Lux, the twins of Gemini, complete opposites unless someone hurt someone they cared about.....' Then Cornelia came up to a painting of herself, Spica and her love and husband, Arietis of Aries, as well as their son in a painting. There were group paintings where she had added herself in, or secret paintings she had done of her friends, and of the gods and goddesses that helped and guided them. Then she saw the painting of Zeus, and she knew that was the one that had harmed Semreh just a bit ago.

She stood in the room a long time. She soaked everything in, letting the memories come to her, hoping for them. When she left, she promised to do what she could to find the others, those who had been reborn like her and those who had gone into hiding. She left the room and went back to the rest of the house. She decided that those in the paintings, when they were found, deserved a copy. She would ask Semreh if he had known about the room. Maybe she had painted them as more than just an homage to each person. Maybe there was a reason for the room that she was not remembering.

From her memory, the only ones that she knew that had died had been Delta, Aldebaran and Eta, the last she knew, the others were alive. But the reason hit her.... that room was connected to another room, design exactly the same as it, and did have copies of her painting: on the Moon! Their safe haven!

She thought about it, wondering about the moon place and if it still existed. She did not want to go in case her son returned home while she was gone and thought something happened to her. She was so happy that memories were coming back to her and she knew there had to be a reason she and her husband were reborn in this time. She continued on a tour through the rest of her house.

An hour later, she heard, "Mother!" from the livingroom.

Cornelia went back to the living room. "I'm so glad you're back! I've been collecting memories while you were gone. How'd things go?" Cornelia asked as she went to hug him.

"Better, than getting the message...." he said. "...considering who I took the message to...."

"Who'd you have to take it to? Or aren't you allowed to tell me...I don't remember," Cornelia said.

"Hades..."

"Hades? Which side does he stand on?" Cornelia asked. She wasn't sure which side the god of the underworld would be on.

"I don't know...." he said. "Truly, I don't.... some days he seems to be completely on Zeus's side...but on other days.... it's like he was fighting something....."

"We'll just have to watch him closely, then. I found the statue," Cornelia told him. "I remembered where it was and what had to be done."

"You found the gateway to the Moon?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I did! I didn't go though, I didn't know when you'd be back and I didn't want you to worry. But I saw everyone in their portraits. Oh, I can't wait till we're all together again!" Cornelia said, clasping her hands.

"Father..." Semreh said softly.

"We'll find him...you said you've seen him, right?" Cornelia asked him.

"Yes.....but it's going to be difficult for him to believe me..."

"Oh? Why is that?" Cornelia asked him.

"Remember how I said that I went and found and saw him last night....?"

"Yeah...so?" Cornelia said, wondering what he could mean.

"He didn't go too well.... he thought that I was a threat...."

"Oh..." Cornelia looks down. "I wish that went differently, then."

"Mom.... I will try again.... I just know that I'll get him to believe me...."

"Be careful...I don't want you to get hurt after finding you again," Cornelia told him. "He may not be ready yet..."

"I don't think so either.... from how he acted...."

"We'll watch him and wait. And we'll drop hints. I wonder what he'd do if he saw me?" Cornelia said.

"I don't know... I'd hope something would spark in him..... but for now....are you hungry, mom...?" Semreh asked smiling.

"Famished! I don't think I've eaten anything since yesterday..." Cornelia said.

"I know one place that you'll just love... Dyonisus runs it.... calls it his family business but.... being a God and everything, it's funny in my opinion..." Semreh smiled.

"Okay...that sounds wonderful!" Cornelia said, thinking about what he said.

Semreh took her hand and lead her out the door of the home, and then down a long path. The path lead to a sea port city. "You are going to love it...."

"I'm sure I will...I hope they have BLTs!" Cornelia said.

"He can make anything...."

"That's great! I can't wait!" Cornelia said.

He walked happily with his mother, through the streets of the city once they made it through the gate. The buildings were beautiful, remembrace of the original buildings that ran through Cornelia's mind.

She enjoyed the walk with her son. She also enjoyed being in the place they had once lived.

"It's Athenes..."

"And it's beautiful," Cornelia said. "I'm glad to be back."

"Me too...." Semreh said, breathing deep the fresh air. "Home sweet home...."

"I'm so glad we're having a bit of a family lunch. And when your father remembers, that'll be the first thing we do!" Cornelia said.

"That'll be great...." He hugged her right there in the street, fully excited.

Cornelia hugged him back. "Did I meet Dionysis before? If I did, do you think he'll remember me?"

"Of course he'll remember you....you taught him many of his popular recipes...."

"Really? I did?" Cornelia asked. She doesn't remember that, yet.

"Yes....your meal bread was to die for..."

"I don't remember being a cook...and they never really let me cook in the hospital, so there ya go," Cornelia said.

Semreh laughed. "You weren't..... you were a painter and you had excellent taste in food along with art...."

"Oh, well, if thought about in the right way, another term for chef is culinary artist," Cornelia said.

Semreh laughed. "I can see that..." Cornelia remembered that she loved to cook, but her taste was better than her cooking, though her cooking wasn't bad at all.

"After two years in the hospital I'm glad to finally be getting some memories back!" Cornelia said.

"I understand.... oh, there it is!" he said pointing at a beautifully designed restaurant. The design brought back memories of her, Semreh, and Arietis going to didn't parties and feasts that Dyonisus had set up for himself or for others.

Cornelia sighed, remembering, "It's very pretty, isn't it?"

"Yep...come on..." Semreh said leading Cornelia to the restuarant and inside.

"Welcome.... welcome....." said a voice, belonging to a round man with curls in his hair. He hurried over to them. "Oh.... Semreh! How are you?"

"I'm good.....and you?"

"I'm good, too...um, I haven't been here in a while, though," Cornelia told him.

The god's eyes widened, and then he hug Cornelia. "Spica! Oh Spica my muse...my muse of food!"

Cornelia laughed. "I don't know about that, I haven't done much cooking in this life. Semreh's been telling me about how wonderful my cooking as Spica was, though. My reborn name is Cornelia, but you can call me Spica if you want," Cornelia told him.

"I am sure you are great even now, Cornelia....." Dyonisus said with a smile. He then laughed. "Cornelia......corn - elia....."

Cornelia laughed, too. "I guess I have to be if there is food in my name!"

Semreh smiled. "Isn't Dyonisus great, mother?"

"Yes, he is," Cornelia said, smiling. "I'm glad to be back."

"Come.... I'll saw you to the best seat in the house... come come," the fat god said moving through the restaurant.

"I guess we have to follow...." laughed Semreh.

Cornelia smiled at her son and followed Dyonisus. She looked around the restuarant as they went.

It was layed out like it would have been during the centuries ago she was alive. Flowers, real flowers, hung from the walls, seeming to grow out of them.

"This place is beautiful!" Cornelia said as they walked.

"Thank you Spica...." Dyonisus said back to her. "Ah....here we go....the best seat in the house..."

The table was in a back corner with a beautiful view of the sea, private away from the nosy ears.

Semreh pulled Cornelia's chair out.

"Thank you, Semreh!" Cornelia smiled at her son while she sat down. "And this view is absolutely gorgeous! I could paint it."

Dyonisus's eyes lit up. "You still paint?!" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, I don't remember anything about my current life except being in a hospital for amnesia and painting," Cornelia admitted to him.

"It will come to you, my dear..." he laughed, with a smile.

"That's what I'm hoping. I don't really even know how old I am right now," Cornelia said. "Anyway, what's on the menu today?"

"The house specialty..." Dyonisus said, pointing at the menu. 'Virgo BLT'

Cornelia burst out laughing. "That's exactly what I said I wanted on the way here!"

"That one is a special every other week..." he laughed.

"That's great! That's exactly what I was craving," Cornelia said. "I want cranberry juice with it, too."

"Yes ma'am..." Dyonisus said hurrying off.

Semreh smiled at his mother.

Cornelia smiled back, "This is nice, isn't it?"

"Yes it is....I get to eat with my mom," he said.

"I'm glad! Although, I think I'm a little young to have a son your age!" Cornelia said jokingly.

"Brother?" Semreh said jokingly. Then he laughed.

"But, maybe I'm a lot older than I look and just don't know it," Cornelia said.

"We'll just have to ask a god of time, some time.." Semreh said, then laughed.

"What? What's so funny now?" Cornelia asked him.

"god of time....some Time...."

"Oh! I get it! Haha!" Cornelia said, laughing.

A waiter brought out their food.

"Yum.... looks as good as normal...." Semreh said.

"Thank you!" Cornelia told the waiter. After the waiter left Cornelia said, "You know what? This is going to be my first meal with memories from before! It already is wonderful."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, mom..."

"Me too!" Cornelia said. "Do you think anyone else knows I'm back yet? Or did you tell some people?"

"I have only told the gods and goddesses that have supported the Zodiac after all these years....."

"Okay...that's what I thought...I didn't know if you'd tell anyone or not. I guess, though, if I was in your shoes, I'd be estatic to have a parent back! And we'll trigger your father's memory soon," Cornelia told him and then took a bite from her sandwich.

The taste of the BLT was amazing, not your BLT of today.

"This is wonderful! I love it!" Cornelia said and took a drink of her juice.

Semreh lauhged.

((Sarah you forgot here))

Cornelia laughed, too. "What do you think we should do next?"

"We can head to the temple...."

"That would be nice. I think if I had my memory, I would have missed it," Cornelia told him.

"My temple..." Semreh said. "It's small...but you helped design it...."

"That sounds wonderful, Semreh. Is it still in use by the people?" she asked him.

"Those that wish to send a message to a loved one..."

"That's nice, son, I'm glad that you've been doing okay while I've been gone," Cornelia told him.

"I was hard...but Abmisleo helped as did Epsilon...."

"I'm glad you had people to help you through it, Semreh," Cornelia said.

"We were a big family of sorts...."

"Do you think they'll remember me again?" Cornelia asked. "I guess they will since Dyonisis did."

"Abmisleo and Epsilon are two of the Zodiac that never died.....they will remember you...."

"Okay. I wondered if there were some of us that never got killed. I don't know if I prefer what happened to me or being killed. The worst part was all the time we've had apart," Cornelia told her son.

"...I think you would have prefered to have died in battle than being murdered...."

"Yeah, probably. Oh well, I guess now I just have to try to start where we left off...after we bring your father around, of course!" Cornelia said.

Semreh smiled, nodded. "We can....that would be great...."

"You weren't grounded or anything were you?" Cornelia said, with a hint of sterness but obviously teasing.

"Nope.... I've always been good..."

Cornelia smiled at him, "I love you, son."

"I love you too, mom... now, if you could do anything in this beautiful city, what would you like to do?"

"Hmmm, I don't know...I don't remember everything. Perhaps visit places I liked before?" Cornelia said. "That might jar some more memories and also I just miss being around."

"Alright mom.... come, I'll show you the Parathon..."

"Okay!" Cornelia said.

Semreh smiled at her, taking her hand. "It's this way...." He started to lead them from the restaurant, and down the street.

Cornelia looked all around, taking in the scenery and the lives around her.

There were many antiques hanging infront of the homes and shops. many she just knew had been made by her in the past.

Cornelia couldn't say anything as they walked, for she was too busy marveling at all the things people had that were made by her hands. She was happy people had liked her style.

"You loving this, mother..."

"Oh yeah! I actually recognize some of the stuff they have hanging and sitting around!" Cornelia exclaimed.

"I'm glad.... a lot of them have been hanging in their places since you gave them out...."

"That's great! I love that people like what I gave them. I guess they've been through a number of generations," Cornelia told him.

"Oh yes...."

"I'm glad people have remembered them. I wonder if any stories about me have been passed down...?" Cornelia said.

"Spica.....was and is a woman of beauty..." said Semreh smiling at his mother.

Cornelia laughed a bit, "I wonder what people would do if they knew I was back...I also wonder why I'm remembering my past life but nothing from this one...I was actually-um-well, killed, right?" Cornelia asked him.

"When you were Spica....." said Semreh. "But as Cornelia... I don't know what would trigger your memories...."

"Ah well, I guess there's just nothing we can do about that..." Cornelia said. "This really is a beautiful city, though!"

Semreh smiled big. "The best!"

"It's changed a bit, but it's still the same city under all the newness...I like that," Cornelia said as they walked.

"Yep.... I'm glad you see that too..."

"I remember the city as it was and I'm seeing it as it is now...I think it would have been fun to watch the city layer itself with modern things, but oh well," Cornelia told him.

"Mom...from now on, you will be.... the world is still changing...."

"I know," Cornelia smiled at him. "The only problem is that if we're getting reborn now, something big is probably going to happen soon."

---

"I guess that makes sense. Did I know him...before?" Del asked. A thought occuried to her, "Did I have a family, a husband and child, too?"

"There was someone.... but you were killed before anything could come of it, I think.....he was... I really don't know.... only you did, it was as if you had a secret family.... when ever I asked you said that it was on his request, because of some bad happening between the greeks and the norse.... so I only knew of him as a norse....."

"Oh," Del looked very sad. She tried very hard to remember if she had a family or not. ((Sorry, she'd be the type of person who had a heart overflowing with love and she'd want to know.))

((Something could have happened to Fauna and Flora's memories... ^_~))

Del saw in her memories a man that was caring but also wild, like an animal. She knew he was of another pantheon, but she loved him, he was of nature just as she was. They had a daughter, a little baby girl. In her memory, it was the threat to her sister and niece that took her away from her family, her love vowing to watch over their child.

"I...I have a daughter somewhere...and I...I have to find her...or what happened to her...and her father...I must," Del said. She looked at Flora and Fauna.

Fauna nodded. "I don't know.... I don't remember you having a child...." her voice was sincere.

"It's okay. I will surely know him when I see him again," Del said. She brightened, "So, where exactly are we now?"

"We are in the soutern moutains of the range that encircles the city...."

"Oh. It's pretty, just like the last little cottage. Do you mind if I just sit under a tree and soak everything in? I'm very happy to have the two of you back...it's just...I just need to be able to process everything...finding all this out...it's just...different, I guess. I think it would make me feel better to just sit under a tree and allow my mind to wonder," Del told the two of them. "You won't be offended, will you?"

Fauna smiled, and shook her head.

Flora ran up to Del, huggin her around the waist. "WHy would we, auntie? You did it all the time before..."

Del smiled and hugged back. She went to find a cozy tree and thought about things. She allowed her mind to wonder, hoping to find more memories, but also trying to accept everything she learned.

Del dosed off to sleep. She dreamed of a place with rolling green hills and blues skies....in the side of a hill was a hidden door.... inside this door was her? A man and a little baby were in there too.... 'Oh, love, isn't she just so precious?' 'Yes, Feronia.... just like you are... what shall we name her?' 'Arcadia....' 'Beautiful...' the man kissed her.

Del watched the scene before her, hopeful to be returned to the man and her daughter, but unsure how to make that happen. She could see the love shimmer within the family.

'She's going to be as beautiful as you.... with both our fighting spirits...' she heard the man say in her head. 'You are right, Fenrir.... I know you are....'

((FENRIR!?! LOL!!!)) Del sighed as she watched the scene before her. At least she knew the name of both husband and daughter now.

((MWHAHAHA!!!! ^_^ YES FENRIR!!! LOL ))

Some plants began to grow around her and the tree.

She mumbled a little in her sleep, probably Fenrir and Arcadia's names.

She felt someone poking her in the shoulder.

She brushed at her shoulder, hoping to discourage the poking. She stretched and opened her eyes, expecting Flora to have come and found her.

"Wakey, wakey..." said Flora. "Momma, said that dinner is ready if you want some...."

"Sure, I'll be there," Del smiled at Flora, trying to hide the hint of longing that she knew the child might pick up on.

Flora smiled, and headed back to the cottage.

Del followed her. She thought about Fenrir and Arcadia, hoping to be reunited soon.

She heard wolves off in the distance. Flora called back to her, "Mom says that there's a wolf pack around here.... she loves it...."

"A wolf pack? Has she talked to them?" Del asks Flora.

"Yes....no animal around here has not talked to mommy.... she is the goddess of animals.....just as I am the goddess of the trees and flowers.... but you are of them all, auntie..."

"I am? I could go talk to them? I could find him!" Del said, thinking aloud. "We'll find him, and then you'll meet him!"

Flora looked at Del confused. "Him? Who's him, auntie?"

"My...I guess the best word would be love, Flora," Del told her. She suddenly realized how young and yet how old she was. "I don't even know if he is alive or if he was eventually killed." Del felt a weight settle on her heart in that moment and knew it would not lift until she learned the truth.

"Are you thinking the wolves may know? But why would they?" she asked.

Del shrugged, "You never know until you ask. Now, let's go eat. I'm sure whatever your mom made is going to be delicious!"

Flora smiled and nodded. "she is a good cook..... she uses fruits and vegetables from my gardens...... "I would hope that it would be...."

Del went in with her. She went to help get things ready for them to have a meal.

Flora showed Del where the plates and utencils were, and helped to set the table. After a while, Fauna came into the dining room with a large bowl of mixed vegetables and fruit, and a bread plate with warm fresh bread on it. "I hope you enjoy it, Del...." she said. "I...decided to fix a meal that had been your favorite...."

"It looks wonderful, Fauna, thank you!" Del said. She did like this meal a lot. "I think I may take a walk in the woods after supper if you're both okay with that."

Fauna nodded. "Just be careful, I know you don't really remember me....but I don't want you harmed as well...."

"I will. I'm starting to get the memories back, they're just coming kind of slowly. This is delicious, Fauna," Del said, then got lost in thoughts.

"Thank you, sister...." Fauna said.

Wolf howls sounded in her mind. 'Remember, Feronia... if we are ever separated, follow the wolves.... they will know....' The memory was only of the voice, but she remembered that he, Fenrir, her love had told her that early in their relationship.

"I'm...I'm sorry, but I have...to...I have to go!" Del said. "It was lovely, and I'll be careful...and I'll be back as soon as I can!" Del pushed away from the table and ran out the cottage. She had to know. She ran through the woods, towards wherever the noise from the wolves was coming from. She just had to know!

She heard howls coming from farther up the mountain, two maybe three different howls. These weren't in her head, but older one called to her in her mind. She remembered visiting a great field with rolling hills, then hearing the sounds of howls, followed by a greater howl. It had drawn her to the location, calling at her heart. She had followed the larger howl. Her walked up a hill, over looking a great field way down below. Before her was a wolf, a Great WOlf, with what looked like pups. But then she saw it... those weren't pups.... that Great WOlf was a giant, with a pack of normal sized wolves around it. That had been her first sight of him. That night she was visited by the Great Wolf, who turned into a wildly handsome man with wild but beautiful eyes and dark hair. 'Mate...' she had heard him whisper as he walked towards her.

((I'm sorry, I'm not sure if this is happening in real time or if the last bit is a memory? I'm going to put her reaction for both. Just erase whatever one is wrong.))

Del ran toward the wolves, hoping they would know where he was...if he was still alive. Surely he would be. But what about their daughter? Once she had found her husband again, they would search for their daughter.

((I did put that "she remembered visiting great rolling hills...." this is a mountain range..... but thank you for both ^_^))

As she ran, Del was stopped by a pack of five wolves standing in her way, the Alpha growling low.

"Please, I'm looking for someone. I've just come back to myself. I don't really know how to talk to you yet, I just hope this works. I'm Feronia, reborn as Del. My...my mate...does he live? Fenrir? Please let this work!" Del said, standing there and hoping.

'Feronia! Feronia's returned!' one wolf howled. The wolf swifted into an animal-human hybrid. 'You have come back to us! Fenrir, we have not seen Fenrir since he came through this region centuries ago, heading to the west...' he growled. '...Carrying a little bundle....'

"Oh...maybe that was our daughter, Arcadia...maybe they both live! I hope so. Thank you so much! I still do not quite remember everything...I only just found out who I am today. Please, I do not remember...but is there a way to communicate with other packs in other places? Sorry for my ineptitude, I'm still relearning everything and after what I've already seen, it would not surprise me," Del said.

((remember I did say centuries lol))

The animal-human wolf looked at her. 'We can get a call out about.... Arcadia.... but Fenrir has not been seen since trouble started between Loki and Odin....'

"Oh...thank you...I must find Arcadia if she is still living. There's been trouble between Loki and Odin? I thought they were best friends?" Del asked. ((I'm assuming she died BEFORE the trouble started?))

((She died after the battle involving the Zodiac... god/goddess slavers killed her.... she went off to save her family, but she never came back...and then trouble began to happening involovin Loki so Fenrir hide Arcadia))

The wolf nodded. 'He had headed towards the now Colorado land...'

"Thank you for the information. I'll find her...if she still lives...and him if I can...but now I should probably return to my sister before she starts to worry over me," Del told them. "Thanks again, though!"

The creature shifted back, and the pack ran off.

Del took her time getting back to the cottage. She enjoyed the forest around her, which she would have done as just Del, but now it held even more fascination and brilliance for her since she knew who she was. She caressed the trees as she passed, and kept an eye out for wildlife.

She could feel the pulse of the trees and flowers, and hear even the slightest movement of an animal.

Del smiled and started her walk back. She started to sing. It was a song about the hills and trees, about love a friendship.

Disstress rushed up through the ground into her being, then a calling, a need, and mother's instinct.

Del needed to go wherever the feeling was coming from. She didn't care who or where. She had to go. She willed herself to be there...NOW!!

She disappeared. She reappeared in what looked like a row of warehouse buildings, but she didn't see any one.

" 'ello there miss...." came a voice behind her.

Del whirled around, "Who're you? I warn you, you try anything funny, and I'll...I'll do something you'd regret!" Del said as she looked around, hoping to see whatever was tugging at her. If it wasn't in the warehouse, she tried to get to it again.

"Whoa.... hold it there, lassy.... you have don't to fear from me...." the man said, he was tall, very tall with large muscles. One name came to her, 'Vulcan' a friend and metal smith.

"Vulcan, please...I don't have time for remembrances, but there was someone here who needed me...please, is that person still here?" Del asked, urgently.

"You remember me I see.... Feronia...." he said in his great voice. "There were two here... You're looking for the lassy Arcadia...aren't you?" His eyes went wide, and he then laughed. "I should have seen it in her eyes.... your eyes but wild eyes...."

"You've seen her?! She's alive?! And yes, I'm Feronia...I've just gotten those memories back today. Was it Fenrir with her?" Del looked hopeful.

"I haven't seen Fenrir since he commissioned a sword for Arcadia a few centuries ago.... and yes, she runs a mechanic shop.... and she was with my adopted son..."

"Okay...do you know where they were going?" Del asked, even as she was trying to get to her daughter.

"I was assume that they headed back to her apartment in town.... Delta had been telling me that she was having him move his things from his hotel room over to her apartment..... those two have certainly moved fast concerding they just meet two weeks ago, and she had spent most of that in the hospital unconscious....."

Del tried her best to get there. She had popped up in front of Vulcan...why couldn't she do the same where her daughter was concerned? She didn't have time to know their daughter before she died. She is unable to find Fenrir. Why should she be kept from her daughter. She wanted to find her and just hold her.

"Huh...Fenoria... I don't you just ask me for help seeing as you did say that you were just remembering...."

"I don't know...I guess it just didn't occur to me...Will you help me?" Del asked Vulcan.

"Of course.... say Hi to them for me...." Vulcan said, and clapped his large hands. Del disappeared.

She didn't know quite where she'd end up.

Del appeared in a great field of rolling green hills. Ireland... the thought ran through her head. Where I and he met...

Del remembered where they had met and started heading there, hopeful that she would find him or at least some clue as to where he is.

As she walked, Del heard distant howls.

Del started running towards the howls, remembering what she'd thought of the last time wolves had howled. She ran as fast as she could.

She came across a pack of white wolves, but no Great Wolf.

"Hi, it's Feronia...reborn as Del...please, have you seen Fenrir...I'm...I'm trying to find him and no one's seen him for a long time and I'm scared for him I've found our daugher, I just haven't talked to her yet. Really, I just...want to find him," Del said.

One of the wolves came up to her. 'He is in the Cave of the Gods.....Odin's cave.... where he was placed as punishment towards Loki....just as Odin punished all of Loki's other children.....'

"What?!" Del's heart started to rip. "But...he...he wouldn't have done anything...I'm going there...I'm freeing him!" Del was determined. She just had to find it first.

'The Great Wolf, his brothers the minor wolves, his brother the Great Serpent, and his sister the Mistress of the AfterLife, now Mistress of the Underworld..... they were all punished by Odin as a way of punishing Loki for the accidental death of Odin's son.... this was centuries ago.....'

"That was after I was killed. Well, where's Loki then? Has he done nothing to rescue them?" Del asked, slightly angry. "I just want my family back."

'The Mistress is walking the world free yet not.... The Great Serpent is in the deepest waters so cold and dark..... and the Minor wolves were forced to fight one another in front of their father, Loki.....to the death.... then the victor was killed.... and their inners used to help hold down the great Loki..... no one knows how to break the prisons of any of them... Loki was freed centuries ago by the sacrifice of his wife..... but he tried to release his children.....'

"Ewww...That's disgusting! Do they know when he's going to be freed? What if Loki gets help?" Del asked.

We don't know....go to the Great Wolf Head Mountian to the north..... and you will find the cave.... and the Great Wolf.....'

"Thank you!" Del says, as she runs off to the Great Wolf Head Mountain. "I will find him and I will free him!"

She felt heavy eyes watching her as she ran.

She thought about the feeling, but she was more concerned with trying to reunite her family.

The feeling grow to feeling like something bad was going to happen at any moment. The Mountians in the distance was quickly growing as she got closer.

Del kept running, knowing the importance of what she was trying to do. She did attempt to get herself ready for an upcoming fight if it happened, though.

A man stepped into her way. "Hellp there..."

"Um, hello," Del said, skidding to a stop.

"Hello....where do you think you are going?" the man said.

"Wherever I am going doesn't concern you unless you are one of three or four people...are you?" Del asked.

"One of three or four? You speak in riddles as if you are Pock himself..." the man said. "Who are you?"

"Why do you ask? Maybe I'm just out for a run? Maybe I've decided to back pack across Europe? Besides that, who are you?" Del said, trying to figure out who he was.

"...Hemdale..."

"Oh...I'm Del," she told him.

"Let now...."

"What?" Del asked.

"Leave!" he growled.

"Why?" Del asked.

"No one is allowed past here....now leave!"

Del wasn't really sure what to do...she didn't know whether to stay or go. She decided to go back to the wolf pack.

The pack was still there, but some growled as they sniffed the air.

"What? What's wrong?" Del asked them.

'Him.....Hemdale..... loyal to the one that imprisoned the Great Wolf...'

"Oh! I think I'm going to go find his father and see if he'll be able to help me," Del said. She thought about Loki and his chaoticness, hoping to either call him to her or call herself to him. Otherwise she'd be stuck in another country without a passport or a way home.

She disappeared, and reappeared outside an apartment door.

Del knocked on the apartment door, "I'm looking for Loki...I need to talk to him about one of his sons."

((This has to wait now....and you will have to post with Delta, Loki, and Arcadia ^_^ ))

Del and Loki reappeared in the rolling grean fields of Ireland. "Lead the way... I never knew where that bastard imprisoned him...."

Del lead Loki to where she had been trying to get to before. The wolf rock cave and she pointed to it, "That's where the wolf pack told me he was being kept."

"Come on, then...." Loki said heading towards it.

Then Hemdal appeared.

Loki growled. "Hendal, you bastard...."

"You are the bastard...you killed my brother!"

Del watched for a moment, waiting for an opening that would allow her to quickly sneak to the cave.

Loki rushed Hemdal, grabbing him by the throat. "You murdered two of my children...and imprisoned three others.....that is cruel....!!!"

Hemdal grabbed a rock, and hit Loki. With that, a fight insued.

Del made for the cave in the mountain as fast as she could possibly run, hoping that Fenrir's wolf side would recognize her.

It wasn't long before she made it to the cave. The cave openning was huge, tall enough for a triple-decker bus, and as wide as a quarter of a football field.

Del went inside, feeling for where her husband was. She listened for someone struggling against chains or ropes. If she knew Fenrir, he'd never give up the hope of escape.

Not long after she walked into the cave, did she bump into an invisible shield of sort. But she did hear growling and chains deeper down.

Del attempted to get through the shield to where the chains and growling were. She pushed at it with all her power.

A howl echoed through the cave. The shield glowed with light as she pressed through.

As soon as she was through, she went to where the noises were coming from. She had to find her husband!

Del completely broke through the shield. A great howl echoed again. The sounds were coming from farther down the cave.

Del ran to where the sounds were coming from. She would see him for the first time in what was really only a couple days for her. He would see her for the first time in centuries.

Then she saw him. A huge wolf, black, gray, and white, chained to the walls of the cave. The wolf was struggling and hadn't noticed her.

Del ran up to him, unsure whether he would remember who she was or not.

The wolf began to growl low at her, baring teeth. Then it stiffed the air, and layed down on the ground just looking at her.

She cautiously approached the wolf. Del knelt down in front of it and just wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, "How am I supposed to get you out?"

Feronia.... said the wolf nuzzling her. I am soo glad that you are safe....

"I'm...still remembering things...I was reborn as DellaRose," Del told him. She looked to see how to release him, "I'm trying to get you free. Your father's distracting Hemdale to help."

Fenrir growled. The bastards!

Del tried tugging on the chains, hoping that they were just barely strong enough to hold him and that she'd be able to give him the extra strenth boost he needed. She thought about how strong the plants and animals could be. And then she realized something: She was the goddess of freedom. She attempted to will her husband free.

The chains glowed, while Fenrir began to pull at the chains that bound him. Then it happened... they snapped. The wolf Fenrir looked at her. It takes a strong person of heart to break the chains of Valhalia....

Del smiled, "I guess I have a strong heart, then!" She hugged him tightly, "But we should probably go, your father might be losing, I don't know how closely matched he and Hemdale are. And I seem to recall that Hemdale is supposed to assassinate Loki, and I just realized that, so I hope it hasn't happened yet!" Del says to him.

---

"I think it is time to start gathering the Zodiac here.... the Guardians are preparing, and Helios has started something we did not have before....our own knights to help us in our fight.... he has already choosen the captain and guardian of the thirteenth...." Epsilon said over the phone. "OH! Helios said something that was interesting.... Helios said something that surprised me.... the thirteenth had been using Helios's light to observe and hug the one that Helios has just choosen for more than a year without Helios's knowledge..... I said we need to find the thirteenth because they still don't know the identity of this person...."

"Do you need me to come there, Eppy?" Aria asked. She could use a good, vigorous swim across the ocean and she had business in the States to attend to, anyway.

"It might be for the best that you do.... you can stay with me and Chyrosa...."

"Okay, I'll be over there soon, Eppy. I'm going to swim the way!" Aria told her brother.

Epsilon laughed. "I hope you have fun with that...and please be care of Posiedon, I still don't know if he sides with Zeus, the evil out there, or with us...."

"I will, Eppy, don't worry," Aria said. "I'll see you soon!"

"See you soon, sis...." Then the dail tone met her ear.

Aria left her office. She told her assistant she was going overseas and gave her a number where she could be reached if needed. She went home, packed a small waterproof bag and told her most trusted friend that she was going to the States. She then went to the Nile, for she lived near it, and jumped in, transforming into her mermaid form as soon as she was underwater.

Many of the underwater creatures of the Nile, waved good bye to her.

She waved back. "I'll see you again soon!" Aria told them.

A ways down the river, or up the Nile, just before Aria got to the open sea, something hit her in the head, knocking her unconcious. Sometime later, Aria awoke in a large tube filled with water. The tube was just a little taller than her, but was only wide enough for her to move a little. There was a lid on top, and the tube was surrounded by scientific equipment.

She looked around, wondering what she had gotten herself into. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Interesting, it knows how to speak...." came a dull, deep voice. ((LOL Think Snape, evil Snape))

"I'm not an it, thank you very much. And who do you think you are? Bashing a girl on the head and putting her in a tank?" Aria said to him.

"And it has an atitude...." he said, ignoring her, as he sat down at a computer and began to type some things up.

((I don't even know what her abilities are.))

Aria began to get angry.

Aria heard a crack near the bottom of the tube, the water swirling some near it, and she could clearly see a breeze forming, pushing at the tube. At the time, the man seems not to have noticed.

She wanted out. Being held in a small tank just because she was different was an indignation that no one should have to endure. Her anger grew.

The tank shattered, and the water splashed everywhere. Aria disappeared, falling into the Nile river openning out to sea.

"Wooh, thank goodness!" Aria said as she swam on, as fast as she could.

She saw above her the shadow of her companion and friend flying high over the waters.

Aria knew how to navigate the seas. She reveled in the rush of the waters and loved to be in them again. She was careful, though, and quick. She did not want to upset anyone by accident.

A larger shadow than that of her friend flew over head. Large wings, and a human body.

Aria surfaced for a moment, looking at the being and hoping it wouldn't harm her eagle.

She saw a tall man with large wings, though the color was shadowed out. Her eagle friend seemed to swoop around the winged man, but not threateningly.

Who is he? she thought towards her friend.

An angel....or at least a half angel...

Oh. Any idea why he's flying so near to us?

Don't know.... but he seems pleased with something...

If I knew which side he was on, I would talk to him...

"I'm free!" she heard the man shout, flying higher before doing a loop. Aria felt drawn to the man.

"Ahoy! What are you free from?" Aria called up to him.

The winged man turned to long down on her. The man had a handsome face, with bright blue eyes and long dark blonde hair. "From some crazied men in white jackets!" he called back. The man that had Aria had a white jacket on, but it was probably not even related to his white jacketed people. "I've longed for freedom for many years!"

"Any idea what they were doing? I was captured a few hours ago by a man with a white jacket. He was surprised I could speak!" Aria said to him. "Where are you heading?"

"I don't really know... I've been held by the people that had me for years.... they took feathers and blood..... ran tests on me...." he said. "They took me not long after I had left home to find better work to help my family, and just days after I discovered I had wings and could fly...."

'He doesn't know he's an angel....' came her eagle's voice.

"Oh, you should come with me. I'm heading to meet my brother. We'll keep you safe. He runs a corporation in the states. He may have a job for you!" Aria told him. "If he doesn't, I run a business in Egypt. I could certainly find a place for you! What's your name, by the way? I'm Aria."

"Aquila..." said the man, flying closer to the water. "You're different, like I am..." he said. "I don't see a boat...and the tail.... and the job would be great....but I have to find my family first.... they are important to me... that's why I had left to find work.... because we needed the money..."

"Come with me...I know people who could help you find them. Please, it would be so much better than looking by yourself. Just come with me," Aria hated the idea of him being captured again and she really did know people who could help him. "And yes, I am different than many people. And I know many more, who are also. Please, we can help you!"

((Oh I forgot to tell you, but Amethyst is the gem stone that is on her necklace that she has had since the Zodiac had been gathered before...))

Aquila nodded. "Thank you....thank you so much...."

"Great! And don't worry, we'll find your family as soon as we can! How far have you flown before? We have to cross the ocean. I've done it many times before, but I don't know about you..." Aria said. She continued to swim, talking to him and keeping an eye out for possible dangers.

"I have never really flown before, the last time I was caught..." he said. "I don't know what I can do..."

"Okay, well when or if you get tired, we'll find somewhere to rest," Aria said. ((Can she send a message on the air to her brother? I don't know if that could happen in your world or not.))

((Yes...remember her element is Air...and air flows like her waters from her pot ^_^))

"Thank you..." Aquila said.

"In fact, I'll send a message to my brother about you," Aria told him.

To her brother, she sent, "Found man name Aquila, who was captured when he discovered wings. He does not know he is an angel. I'm swimming under him as he's flying above me. He has not flown much before, as he's only just now escaped these other men. I do not know how long he'll last or when he'll get tired."

The wind brought back to her his reply. "Take your time, sis..."

Knowing they'd been going for a while, she got her barings in the sea. She wanted to know how much farther they had to go. She was quick, but she thought they might have slowed down a little because of Aquila's inexperienced flying.

Surprisingly, Aquila was able to keep up with Aria.

"We're doing pretty good so far! How do you feel, Aquila?" Aria asked him.

"Like my body has longed for this!" he called back down to her.

"That's great! I'm glad for you!" Aria told him, continueing to stay alert. She scanned the area to see how much farther they had to travel.

Aquila stopped flying, hoovering above the ocean, staring off into a distances.

"What do you see?" Aria asked him.

"I don't think dragons are normal do you?" he called back to her, pointing out.

Far from them, was a large, very large azure Dragon, wingless, like an oriental dragon one would see in paintings and statues. It's tail reached the ocean's surface and its head could easily reach above the clouds in the sky.

"Um...it depends on the dragon!" Aria told him. "He's one of the guardians...nothing to worry about."

"Guardians??"

"Yes, there are four temples, one for each direction. A guardian is at each temple. He is one of temple guardians," Aria told him.

"Oh kay...."

"You have wings and I have a tail...and you think a dragon guardian is strange?" Aria asked him laughing.

"Big dragon.... little us...."

"But the big dragon is a protector being. It won't hurt us, especially because of what I am and that you're with me. I wonder why he's in the middle of the ocean, though?" Aria told him.

The dragon looked at them. They both heard in their heads. 'I am here because I was spending time at sea in my element.... and I'm trying to get to a cave under the waters..... for I believe that someone has been imprisoned down there....'

"I'll help...Aquila here, I don't know about him...but if someone is imprisoned, it is our duty to help them!" Aria said.

The dragon nodded.

"I'm helping...." said Aquila. "I was imprisoned.... I want to help...." Not thinking, Aquila dived at the ocean, going under. He did not come up.

Aria dived in after him, hoping he'd be okay.

What she saw was Aquila looking around at himself confused. "What's going on?" he asked, finding that he could breath. "My wings.... their as blue as the sea.... and their.... like bat or dragon wings....."

"Maybe you can swim with them?" Aria said. ((I'm not sure if she knows what happened here.))

((She doesn't))

The Dragon guardian, Seiryuu, swam around them. 'It would seem your friend is an elemental angel....now come....'

Aquila looked at Aria. "Should we?" he asked, looking at her and watching the dragon swimmed down deeper.

"Yes, I think so...that person needs to be rescued and I can go down...apparently you can too!" Aria told him. She called to her friend to join her as a tattoo again.

Aria felt the familiar sensation of her friend becoming one with her.

Aquila flapped his wings in the water, and headed down.

Aria went, too. She knew this was something that needed to done if the guardian was there. She sent an update to her brother on the situation.

It was getting colder, the farther they swam down, and darker.

Aria wanted a light and some warmth.

As if in answer, Aquila stopped warming looking down at his hands. "What?" he asked. His hands were glowing with light and warmth like water-proff fire.

"I guess there's more to you than you've ever thought! How does that feel?" Aria asked him.

"Strange....like I am everything..." he said, confused.

"Well, maybe you are...elements could all come together in one person...it's happened before," Aria told him as they swam.

"And I was still trying to get use to the wings...." They all swam til they saw a large cave.

"What now?" Aria asked the guardian.

Seiryuu looked at Aria and Aquila. "We need love and warmth to free the one in the cave...."

((Sorry I had a mistyping.... ^_^))

"Okay, we'll get them out!" Aria said.

"But what do you mean? What does he mean?" Aquila asked floating close to Aria, looking between the dragon and her. Both of their hearts were pounding.

"I'm not quite sure...what exactly do you mean, Seiryuu?" Aria asked.

Only she heard this. 'It can't really be hided, his feelings....'

"I only know that I love my family, my business, and my friends. I have a love for certain foods and a love for different stories. I don't know the person inside the cave, but I'm sure I could love them as a friend," Aria said.

Seiryuu mentally shook his head in her's. 'Not the one in the cave.....the shield over the cave can only be brought down by love a person see's in another.....'

"Oh...well, how are we going to do that? Look inside the cave? Or what exactly does it mean?" Aria asked.

'Aria.... you are blocking what you feel.... while he tried your request for light without even knowing if he could do it.... for you...'

"Oh...I didn't realize I was blocking how I feel," Aria said, she tried to delve into herself to see how she felt so she could unblock it.

((I had said before that Aria felt something, was drawn to Aquila....))

She felt her heart pulling her towards Aquila who was looking towards her.

Aria looked at Aquila. She felt she may love him at first sight. She had heard of that happening before, especially among the Zodiac members, but she was scared. She had never fallen for anyone before and she was scared.

"I..." Aquila started. "...my heart is pulling me... to...." He was blushing.

"Me? Yes, I'm getting the same feeling. I haven't ever had so much as a boyfriend before, though, and...I just...I don't know how to handle it," Aria said to him, blushing too.

"I haven't been with anyone before either....."

"We could...I don't know...well, swimming together was fun," Aria said. ((She's a little awkward with this.))

((He is too...))

He smiled. "It was.... I...." he said, reaching for her hand, squeezing it gently.

Aria blushed some more.

There was a slight glow from the cave, but then it died.

"Do you want to go roller skating or something when we get to my brother's?" Aria asked him, smiling and blushing at the same time.

"Yeah... that would be great....I'd love to....with you...." Aquila kissed her cheek. Another glow from the cave followed.

"Good...we'll do that..." Aria said, giggling.

The glow stayed, but only just. Aquila blushed, then kissed her lips.

The kiss was as sweet as any first kiss could be, especially as long awaited one as this. Aria had been alive for centuries, but had never been in love before. She never allowed anyone to get close enough and she knew that beings of her kind often fell in love at first sight. The joy in her heart was hard to contain.

There was a bright light coming from the cave enterance.

"What? Is the shield breaking down?" Aria asked Seiyruu.

Aquila looked at the cave.

'It is started to... it is very close...'

"Do you know who is in there?" Aria asked him.

'The Midgrad Serpent'

"Oh my! Jarmunger is trapped in there?! We have to get him out!" Aria said. 

'Yes.... and you and him are very close... that is what the light is....\'

Aria looked at Aquila, "Well, what do you think? We have a date and we've kissed...how much more is there to do?"

Aquila looked at Aria. "I...love you..." The glow grew again.

"I...think I love you...too," Aria said.

Jarmanger tried to attack the barrier

The light pulsed as something hit it, but the barrier held.

"Something...." Aquila said, looking at the cave.

Aria grabbed Aquila and kissed him, pouring everything from her heart into the kiss.

Aquila kissed back, his arms wrapped around her.

The light grew blindingly, then disappeared, the barrier gone.

"We did it!" Aria said, dancing a little in the water. "Jarmunger, are you there?"

Jarmanger cautiously came out it was obvious as soon as they saw him that he was about to attack. He hissed in anger his eyes red with rage. He wasn't sure why he was being released and could only think it was someone Oden had sent to further his torment. He was in his serpent form and he arced his head ready to strike at these unexpected visitors.

Jarmanger saw a mermaid hugging an elemental angel, and he saw a large sea dragon, the dragon he recognized as Seiryuu, the water priest of the Zodiac that had come to see him many times. Jarmanger also recognized the mermaid, but only in that she was a Zodiac, the Zodiac for Aquarius.

'Jarmanger....calm yourself...' came Seiryuu's voice.

"Hello, I'm Aria and this is Aquila. I'm glad you're free now!" Aria told him.

Jarmanger stilled and slowly turned to his humanoid form. The water didn't seem to trouble him. "I'm...free?"

Aquila nodded. "Seiryuu...asked for us to help...."

Seiryuu nodded. 'Yes my friend you are.....'

He nodded. "Thank you...how much time has passed?"

"Do you remember the battle involving the Zodiac members? Well that was several centuries ago," Aria said sadly.

Seiryuu nodded.

Aquila just looked confused.

"You were imprisoned shortly after that. I'm afraid you've spent centuries in there," Aria told him.

Jarmanger looked upset. "Thank you for my freedom...I will need to grow accustomed to this new world. What of my siblings? Do they live?"

Seiryuu looked at him. "Hel was sent to be the mistress of the underworld itself.....and Fenrir's immortal wolf was separated from him.... and he died a mortal....but there are many being reborn during this time..."

He closed his eyes as though in pain. "I'll make them both pay..."He whispered. "How can I get to Hel?"

"We're not quite sure yet...But you should come with us. It has been rumored that your father has made appearances," Aria told him.

Aquila just floated there still confused.

Jarmanger stiffened and then relaxed for a moment there seemed to be some sort of flash of emotion in his eyes but it was hard to tell what. "Alright...I would like to see him. What about Fenrir's child...does it live?"

Seiryuu looked at Jarmanger. I have been in contact with the smith god, Vulcan... it would seem that Fenrir's wolf blade he had Vulcan make has made its way into his daughter's hands....

"Is she...safe?" Jarmanger asked. "And...was Fenrir reborn for sure or do you merely believe he was?"

Yes she is.... and I know not of Fenrir...

He closed his eyes still feeling the pain of the centuries of entraptment. "I hope he was...I am glad his daughter is safe...and I hope Hel is too."

Vulcan did say that Arcadia had taken a walk to calm her mind after finding out that she was a goddess... so he had been talking to her mate when she came running back, and they left..... Vulcan, check....it would seem that Arcadia ran into Hel as she was taking a man's soul...."

((You forgot here))

"Things are definately starting to stir up. Many of the murdered Zodiac are being reborn, we'll find them, too," Aria told him. To Aquila, "I'll fill you in on as much as I can later, okay?"

"Alright...." Aquila said.

Jarmanger stretched. "Are we going now? I want to get as far away from this accursed cave as possible."

Seiryuu nodded. <i>Of course my friend...

"That's understandable! Aquila and I were both in a captured state a few hours ago. It didn't last long for me, but it did for him," Aria told them.

"Let's go." Jarmanger said with a hint of impatience.

Seiryuu began swimming back towards the surface, Aquila looking at Aria, taking her hand and following.

Aria went with Aquila. Being a mermaid, she was easily able to swim without her hands.

Jarmanger quickly shot toward the surface and away from the cage he moved through the water with grace as he reveled in his freedom. I will make both of you pay Oden, and...father He thought to himself as he stretched and twisted through the water.

Aria went with them, "Jarmanger, you should come with us...we'll help you find your family again."

Aquila nodded.

"Alright...I will need you anyway in order to comprehend this new world. Lead the way." He said.

"I'm heading to visit my brother, so if you guys want to tag along to?" Aria asked.

"Okay...." Aquila said.

---

Kenda is once again sitting on the roof of her father's apartment with her nose in a book. The sun is bright enough for her to read by, and not a cloud is in the sky.

"Hey sweety, what are you doing up here?"

((I'm guessing this is her father?)) "It's such a lovely day, I wanted to read. It's a book about a girl named Trisana who is what they call a weather witch. This guy named Numarian Goldeye is helping her. She even has three friends: a stitchwitch, a plant mage, and smith mage. It's good so far!" Kenda said, not glancing up from the book.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, sweet heart...." her father said coming over to her. "I just though I'd bring you some lunch."

Just then her stomach rumbled, "Oh thanks, Dad, I didn't realize it was lunch time! What are we having today?" Kenda asked him.

"Sandwicks....homemade..."" he said with a smile.

"I'm famished!" Kenda told her father.

"Here you go Kenda..." he said, handing her a sandwich.

"Thanks! It's such a pretty day! A good day for eating outside," Kenda told him.

"I agree with that...."

Kenda munched on her sandwich.

"Kenda...what would you like the most in the world...?"

"That's a funny question...I don't know...I've never really thought about it," Kenda said, her brow furrowing in thought. "Maybe to be part of a story. Or to have a bunch of friends. I'm not really sure."

"You will have a lot of friends sweety... and one's life is a story..."

"Dad, why are you being so philosophical...it's like you're trying to tell me something but aren't allowed to..." Kenda said.

"I'm...." he looked down.

"What's wrong, Dad? Is there something I should know about?" Kenda asked.

"I have a woman that I'm seeing..."

"Oh, Dad, that's wonderful! I have to meet her, though...I have to make sure she's good enough for you," Kenda told him.

He laughed. "Alright..."

"Were you afraid I wouldn't approve?" Kenda asked him teasingly.

"Yes....because I did love your mother...." he said.

"Dad, I know you guys don't love each other anymore...and I'm cool with that. I haven't have hopes of the two of you getting back together again in a long time. It's okay for you to have found someone else," Kenda told him and then bit into her sandwich.

Her dad hugged her, careful of her sandwich. "I love you, Kenda..."

"I love you, too, Dad! Isn't the weather beautiful today?" Kenda said, smiling up at the sky.

"Perfect... and my day has become even more so thank to you..."

Kenda smiled, "I'm glad, Dad."

"Now, are you going to come do something with your old daddy....or jsut going to read a book all day?" Her father said, smiling lovingly at her.

"What do you want to do?" Kenda asked him.

"I have a free day.... how about the park?"

"That sounds fun. I'll go put this away," Kenda swallowed the last bit of her sandwich and went off the roof. She threw the book on her bed. "I'm ready, Dad!"

"Okay... walk or drive?"

"Let's just walk...it's such a pretty day out!" Kenda told him.

He smiled, and opened the door to the house. "After you, my little one..."

"Da..ad! I'm not all that little anymore!" Kenda said, rolling her eyes.

"You will always be my little one, Kenda..." he said. He locked the door, and they started their walk to the park. The day was bright and warm, not a cloud in the sky.

Kenda smiled up at the sky. "The sun is so pretty today, and so is the sky. It's not too hot, but not too cold, either. I like it!"

Her father smiled. "I agree with you...." Soon they made it to the park, her father stopped, taking in the fresh air.

"Oh, the trees are so pretty, too. I wonder if the sun is happy today and that's why it's such a nice day?" Kenda said. She didn't know why, but she always gave things a personality.

"Yes...." said her father. "It looks like someone else is happy for this day...."

"What do you mean, Dad?" Kenda asked him.

Her father pointed up towards a hill. Then stood a young man with long blonde hair, and gold eyes. He smiled gently down at her.

"Do you know who that is, Dad?" Kenda asked him.

"No...but he seems interested in you..."

"Um...hello?" Kenda said to the man.

The young man walked over towards Kenda. "Hello... miss... I am sorry to distrupt your outting.... but please allow me to say... you are a very beautiful air about you...."

"Oh? What exactly do you mean by that?" Kenda said, suspiciously. The wind picked up a little.

"You have a beautiful aura about you...."

"Really?" Kenda tilted her head a bit to listen closely. The wind went back to the way it had been before. "Why do you think that?"

"I think this because you seem to have a soft glow about you...."

"I do?" Kenda said doubtfully. "That's odd...I don't know why that would be..." A strange fog started to roll in.

"Plus, you are affecting the weather as much as I do....to a degree..."

Kenda snorted, "No I'm not! It just sort of happens when my moods change." 

---

The man's spirit screamed and disappeared. The silver haired woman looked at Arcadia and smiled softly, the hairs on Arcadia's neck lessening by half. "I am Hel." she said simply.

"I guess you didnt need my help after all" she said softly and worriedly. she wasnt an expert on Mythology but Hel was a large part in Norse Mythology. She was wishing she had let Delta come with her right now she didnt like being alone with this woman... This goddess.

"No, but I am not thankless to anyone of my family....so thank you...." she said and turned from Arcadia, but then stopped. She looked back at Arcadia, and said, "Thank you..." She then started to walk down the street.

Arcadia nodded then turned and walked off heading towards Vulcan's shop, her hands were shaking badly.

When she got back, Delta ran up to her. "Arcadia.... are you okay? I....please tell me you're okay?"

"I'm alright Delta" she buried herself against his chest. "I just want to go home" she said softly not wanting to be out anymore she just wanted to shower then curl up in her bed away from people and sleep all of this off.

"Okay... I'll take you home...." he said worriedly.

Arcadia let go of Delta and went over to Vulcan. "How much do I owe you for the sword?" she asked looking up at him.

"It is your's Miss Arcadia....it was paid for a long time.." said Vulcan, handing her the sword.

Arcadia nodded and bowed her head gently to him. "thank you sir" she said holding the sword in hand. "Until we meet again" she said and turned walking over to Delta again. "I'll be alright I promise I'm just trying to take it all in right now."

Delta nodded, and walked with her away from Vulcan's shop. "Arcadia, honestly I didn't know.... I've been around gods and goddess.... and I normally felt like there was something different about them.... but with you, I didn't..... Vulcan's a god....."

"He's a..." suddenly it was starting to all make sense, if her father was a god then of course Vulcan would do his power to awaken her powers for her fathers wishes.

"Yes... Vulcan only makes weapons for the gods or the Zodiac like me..... but sometimes if the cause is just, he will make weapons of lesser strength for mortals....and if you are thinking that Vulcan awakened your powers, you're wrong....Vulcan does not have that power.... plus only the parent of a god can do that..." Delta said.

Arcadia stayed silent as they headed to the road to call a cab. She wished she had never come to that place and never had taken that sword. she had been happy before not knowing not being awakened thinking she was a normal werewolf. But now her life just felt jumbled.

"I'm sorry..." Delta said softly.

Arcadia looked up at him then hugged his arm and snuggled against it. "Just say you wont leave me" she whispered with tears in her eyes on the verge of sobbing.

"I'd never leave you....never..." Delta said, stopping walking andpulled her into a close embrace.

Arcadia cried into his chest just wanting to be held by him. Wanting the pain to go away.

"Arcadia.... I will never leave you.... I love you too much.... and I am glad that I stuck to traveling for......" Delta was silent for a moment before continueing. "...for centuries...."

"Oh Delta, I love you so much to" she said looking up at him before wiping the tears from her eyes. "You don't have to travel any more Delta you have a home right here with me." she said lovingly holding onto his shirt not wanting to be far from the feel of being in his arms.

"Please don't be scared of being an immortal Arcadia.... please.... it scared me at first, but if I hadn't been.... we use never have met....." Delta said softly, then kissed her.

Arcadia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him feeling the love and warmth he had to offer. She softly pulled back from him. "Its just going to take awhile to get used to my mate" she got up on her tip toes and softly nuzzled her cheek against his.

"Alright...." he said nuzzling back. "Come on, I know you have a lot on your mind...." He helped her into a cab that came up, and they headed back to her apartment.

When they came back to the apartment Arcadia made her way inside and placed her sword on the dining room table not knowing what else to do with the thing. Afterwords she went over and slumped face first into her soft couch letting out a long sigh. "I don't know what to do Delta I really don't" she said laying there

Delta went over and sat down on the edge of the couch, and started to massage Arcadia's back and shoulders. "Everything will turn out the way it should..."

Arcadia's body relaxed as she enjoyed the feeling. "thank you" she whispered softly "I love you Delta, so much. I am honored to be your mate" she said softly and lovingly. She laid there wondering of thsi god that was supposedly her father, wondering of her mother as well. Her other father Randulfr, she needed to talk to him try and understand but not now, the wound still hurt that was her heart right now.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"for some reason I'm craving a heavy Norse ale.... I don't know why I think it has somethng to do with who my father is" she said laying there and it was true. She had been having that feeling since she beat the guy senseless then Hel had taken his soul it was as if it was some part of her to celebrate a victory.

Delta laughed. "Norse ale? Really...." he said looking at her. "If that's what your thinking, its as if you're thinking that your father may be Odin....I really don't know....plus I don't know where I'd find any..."

Gently she shook her head as she rolled over on her back looking up at him. "No not Odin, someone else, the same Pantheon though. Delta when I walked off I met someone, her name is Hel the goddess of the inglorius dead of the Norse Pantheon. She said.. I was family, She didnt say who my father was or anything like that but it was just the way she called me family. It sounded like my father was someone close to her."

While Arcadia had been talking, Delta had gotten himself a drink of water as well as her, and had been drinking some of his. When she had talked about Hel and Hel saying something about 'family', Delta choked on his water.

Arcadia whimpered seeing him do that thinking he wouldnt want to be with her knowing that somehow she was related to the goddess Hel.

"Hel...?" Delta asked looking at her. "That means you are the daughter of anyone of three gods....." Delta walked over to her with their water, and sat down beside her, handing her's to her.

"which gods?" she asked as she sat up taking the water and took a drink.

"Loki....Jörmungandr....and Fenrir...." Delta said.

"I know who Loki and Fenrir and the other one Jormun whosy whats it I can't even pronounce that and don't know who that is" she giggled softly. That small giggle was a good sign, it meant she was starting to feel better.

"Loki the god of fire also considered a trickester god... his son Jormungandr, the Serpent..... his daughter Hel..... and his eldest son Fenrir, the Great Wolf...." Delta slapped his head. "Why didn't I think of it sooner... the wolf hilt, that is so Fenrir...."

Arcadia went wide eyed hearing that. Her father was the great wolf. The wolf of legend that all werewolves bowed their head to in honor of. He was second only to the moon herself. she was frozen staring a head unable to fullcomprehend something like that.

Delta waved a hand in front of her face. "Arcadia....Arcadia..." he said softly.

Arcadia blinked a couple of time snapping out of it and looked at him "Sorry I kinda went into shock there"

"I could tell...." Delta said. "So... I guess.... do you want me to call him here?"

"No god no, I am no where ready to meet him no no no no no NOooo" she bolted up from her seat and went over to her kitchen grabbing a glass of water and chugging it down.

"I was talking about Loki....but okay...." Delta said, having followed her. He carefully took her glass from her, setting it down, and pulling her into a hug.

"You didnt say a name so I just guessed" she said snuggling against him.

"He would be your grandfather..... and...." Delta whispered this last part, "...My guardian god....."

Arcadia looked up at him. "your gaurdian god? what does that mean?" she asked confused.

"Well.... I don't really know... but apparently I am one of a group called the Zodiac that have their own animal companions like Capa is for me, and also has one of these on their body...." Delta pulled up his left pant leg revealing a double star. "According to Vulcan, I had died and was reborn.... the first to be reborn of the group that had died because of a war..... and that my first guardian god had been killed and placed in a place where your soul could not go on to be reborn.... and I had been reborn as what I am.... and with no guardian god nor an actually family.... Vulcan took me in and Loki became the god that would mentor me.....Vulcan was the one that named me Delta.... Delta had been my name before....in hopes that I'd truly remember my past....."

"I see" she said softly taking it all in trying to understand it but still confused by alot of it.

"I was confused too.... I still am...." said Delta, pushing his pant leg back down. "Really.... the only one I've ever met was Loki.... and even then everything gets turned upside down...."

"Well we can figure it all out together" she smiled up at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck gazing deep into his eyes. "I love you always know that mate." she said lovingly.

"Always and forever, love...." Delta said and kissed her.

Arcadia slid her hands in his ahir and kissed him back softly and happily.

Delta slowly pulled away from the kiss. "So.... what are the plans? Because I'm sure that Loki is going to flip when he finds out that he was just on the other side of your apartment window talking to me....."

"Wait what?" she twitched hearing that sounding like her grandfather was some creepy peeping tom.

"Remember.... when you hugged me from behind, and I was looking out the window," Delta said taking notice of you body language and her question. "I was speaking with him.... he was checking on me so as to be sure I was doing well..... he has been away for some time trying to locate all of his children....."

"I see, I should have guessed it was something like that him being a god and all" she said putting the tips of her index fingers together thinking about something. "Well umm uhh this is going to be odd to hear from me but I'm going to want to meet him sooner or later but." she looked up at him. "Would you call Loki? I would like to meet my grandfather and now is better then never" she said softly with worried eyes.

Delta nodded, but then said, "Arcadia.... plese don't worry.... everything will be fine..."

"if you start off the conversation then I think I'll be alright I just know I'm going to be a bit scared is all" she giggled and nuzzled him softly. "I'll probably be hiding behind you until I get used to gods being my father and grandfather."

"Alright... I did say I'd never leave you....remember...." Delta said softly.

"I know I know" she giggled and kissed him softly.

"Ready to meet your grandfather....?" he asked after kissing back.

Arcadia slid to his back and gripped his shirt. "Now I am just make sure he appears in front of you" she said nuzzling his back.

Delta laughed softly. "Alright love..... Loki...."

Arcadia just held onto him waiting scared to meet her grandfather.

"Delta.... Delta.... Delta....." came a male voice.

"Loki...." Delta said.

"Is there something wrong, or did you just miss me that much?" There was a laugh. Arcadia could see another shadow, showing that there was someone else ther.

Delta laughed. "Miss you?!"

"You silly boy.... are you finally coming to your senses and going to let me teach you a trick or two..."

"Not your tricks," Delta laughed.

Arcadia gripped his shirt tighter not wanting to let go she was so nervous.

"So why did you call me, my young coyote? I thought you didn't want me to intrude here because a special lady lived here....." his voice suggestive.

"Because it is important that you meet that special lady...." Delta said, his voice serious.

"Oh....??" the man's voice sounded confused by the seriousness.

Arcadia poked her head out from behind Delta and looked up at the man. She deffinantly could see her resemblence to him. her skin her features and even her black blue hair it was from this man and her fathers line. "Ummm Hi... Grandpapa" she said nervously from behind Delta still clinging to his shirt. 

Loki choked. "Grandpapa??" he asked aloud, eyes wide. "I...Delta.... she looks like...your special lady..... Delta, I'm going to be watching you even more now....... when? Which of those children of mine? Thank the gods I'm free from that punishment...but my children....I..."

"Loki.." Delta said. "You're rambling...."

Arcadia came out from behind Delta and held her hands in front of her as she looked down at her feet. "Well umm Im Fenrir's daughter Arcadia" it sounded weird coming out of her mouth but it also felt so right. She was so nervous, if she was in any of her wolf forms her tail would be between her legs.

"Oh my.... Fenrir's...." Loki said. "I can't believe it..... why didn't he tell me.... unless...." He growled. "Damn Odin.... that damn punishment for an accident..... and...."

Arcadia whimpered and bolted behind Delta when she heard her Grandfather growl. She was still scared of her god side of the family.

Loki looked up. "I.... Arcadia.... I'm sorry.... I... I've just been locked away by a powerful god that he had been brothers with throug a blood oath... I'm sorry I scared you....its just that if it hadn't been for me or for him, things would have been different..."

But Arcadia still didnt leave from behind Delta's backside, even though this man was her grandfather she didnt know him. She felt like a child right now meeting a new person but it was the wolf in her she didnt trust until she was sure of them.

Delta turned around. "Arcadia..." he started, then softly in more of a whisper he continued, "Have you ever read any of the stories involving Loki before?"

"A few, nothing of them any good they all said he was an evil trickster god... "she blushed and hid further behind Delta when she saw Loki looking at her after hearing her say that.

Loki shrugged. "I can be evil if I want to be," he said. "Odin is the evil one..."

Arcadia was still really nervous around this guy, she wanted to know him better but fear was deffinantly in her way. 

Loki looked down. "What he did to My children when the only persn he should had punished was me......It was an accident.... I had a hand in it.... yet to punish me, he exployted my love of my family, and punished them...."

Arcadia peaked out from behind Delta. She walked over and stood infront of Loki looking up into his big eyes. "I'm sorry that you coming here and seeing me brought up those bad thoughts" she said softly and sadly.

Loki looked at her. "You could never cause any of my bad memories.... you are my grandbaby.... " he said. "It is just my fault that Odin grow upset with me, punishing my children including your father.... punishing us so much that..... that..... two of my children are dead....."

Arcadia's eyes welled up with tears as she wrapped her arms around Loki and snuggled against him. "Grandpapa, I hope that maybe I can bring you some happiness from the pain." she said hugging her Grandpapa tight.

Loki hugged her back, holding her close. "You do... I am just so sorry for being the reason you didn't grow up with your father...."

"Its ok Grandpapa" she hugged him tighter feeling safer and warm in his arms. "I had a good life Grandpapa my father well my other father Randulfr took wonderful care of me."

"Randulfr.... I am glad...." Loki said. "Hopefully the family will start being brought back together...."

"I hope so to, I would really like to meet my father some day" she giggled. "I already met... umm I'm just going to call her Aunt Hel." she said and shivered remembering her.

Loki just looked at her. "You've.... you've seen Hel....? Oh god.... I hope that bastard never......"

Arcadia just looked up at him not knowing what he was talking about.

"Odin.... his son died because of an accident that involved me....so he punished me.... had two of my sons fight each other to the death, and then killed the victor.... sent one son to the bottom of the deepest ocean..... one son to the highest mountians.... and Hel went from being the Mistress of the Afterlife, helping people move on peacefully or painfully depending on.... things....... he sent her down to the underworld making her its mistress... and if he touched her....."

There was a knock on the front door, followed by a voice that called, "I'm looking for Loki...I need to talk to him about one of his sons."

Loki froze.

Arcadia grabbed Loki and dragged him off to her bed room shoving him inside and closed the door behind him. Then she went over to the front door, she was scared. She looked in the peephole to see what the person might look like.

It was a girl, late teens, early twenties, hard to tell. The girl knocked again, "Hello? Is Loki there? Do I have it wrong again?"

Delta went over to the door. "Who are you?

Arcadia opened the door, "Who are you why are you looking for Loki?" she asked the young girl as she stood there tense and ready if need be.

Delta looked at the girl at the door, then held his head as if it were hurting him. "....Fenoria....?" he said stuttering.

Arcadia looked at Delta then at the girl then back at Delta. "She your ex?" she asked.

"...No...." Delta said.

((We need to wait for Amathya))

"I don't know if you are friend or foe, so I'd just rather not tell you who my goddess self is," Del told them. "I'm looking for Loki because I need his help to rescue my husband, Fenrir. We need to find our daughter. She was in trouble earlier and I just want my family back!"

"No that can't be possible" she gasped softly staring at the girl. "That would some how mean you were my...." She spun around. "Grandpa!!!" she shouted and ran to her grandfather in the other room not believing some little girl was her mother.

((Wolf, Del looks your age))

"What?" came a male voice.

Delta just looked at Del. "You are Fenoria..."

((Why are you doing it "Fenoria?" It's Feronia...I just double checked.))

"Yes...Is Loki here or is he not? I'm kind of in a hurry," Del told him.

"My guardian god.... Loki is here...." Delta said. "And I think you you missed the 'Grandpa' thing didn't you?"

"Grandpa thing?" Del asked.

"My mate is Loki's granddaughter...."

Arcadia came out of the back bedroom shoving Loki ahead of her then ran back in her bedroom closing the door behind her not wanting to deal with what was going on she wasnt going to believe that woman was her mother.

Loki look at the young woman. "You called..."

"Are you Loki? I went to where Fenrir's being held and I couldn't get past Hemdale...I was wondering if you had help if we'd be able to get past him together somehow?" Del asked. "Does that mean Arcadia's here?!"

Arcadia sat in her bedroom with the door locked. she sat on the far side of her bed looking out the window trying to understand everything going on in her world right now

Delta looked at her. "I said that my mate waqs his granddaughter...." Delta went off the bedroom. "Arcadia...." he said knocking on the door.

"Go away Delta" she said to him not moving from where she was sitting. she pulled her legs to her chest looking out the window.

Delta knocked again. "Arcadia.... I am here for you, you know that.... I'd never leave you..."

"I know Delta I just want to be left alone right now" she said to him.

"Arcadia...." Delta said softly.

Arcadia realised that the young woman's eyes looked like her's.

Del was torn between wanting to protect her daughter from the pain by leaving her and incredibly hurt by her reaction.

Loki looked at Del. "You were looking for me? And I believe she is over whelmed..."

Del told Loki, "Yes, I was looking for you. I just came from Ireland and I couldn't get passed Hemdale to get to Fenrir. I didn't know if we would be able to get passed him together or not...?"

"Hemdale is easily distracted..." Loki laughed.

"Oh? Are you up to it, then? I want to get my family back together and I know that Arcadia is here and safe...but I don't know about my husband," Del tells Loki.

Loki looked sad and nodded. He looked over at Delta who was by Arcadia's bedroom door. "Tell her, Delta...."

Delta nodded. "I will Loki...." he said softly.

Loki looked at Del. "Let's do this, my daughter...."

"Um...I'm still kinda new at being a goddess again and not everything is in functioning order...I'll need a bit of help to actually transport, but I got here okay," Del told him. "But I want him back."

"And I don't....? I want what children I have left back...." said Loki.

"I never said you didn't...I understand that you want your children back..." Del said.

Loki nodded. "Let's go..." Del and Loki disappeared. ((Sarah, lol  go back to Del's section....))

"Arcadia.... they're gone...please come out...." Delta said.

Arcadia poked her her head out of the bed room still looking nervous. "I knew that would be awkward..." she said not making any mention about the woman who was supposed to be her mother.

"That woman..... is the born form of Fenoria.... the goddess of the harvest.... of free slaves.... I've been told by your aunt Fauna, that she had died protecting your aunt and your cousin.... and I'm guessing that the stuff involving Loki happened shortly after....." said Delta, who hugged her close.

Arcadia, nodded listening to the story. Even so, if that woman was her mother reborn it was hard for her to except. She couldnt just run and hug someone lovingly that she did not know.

---

Tavia looked at him like he was insane. "Uhhh no not that I know of" she said confused on why he was asking her that.

"Because I thought that I had felt the power of the moon in here..." he said softly.

"Really I don't know Erebus, It could be my Moon elf blood you were feeling" she said thinking it was impossible that she would have a bit of goddess inside of her.

Erebus turned her around. "That may be.... I knew of many goddesses that were of the moon.... and only two that have disappeared.... one of those disappeared because she was kill... the other was taken in for a private meeting with Zeus, and never came out...."

"Unfortunately I do not know of your worlds gods and goddesses. All I know of is when I came to this world my mother was scared for me and sent me to the mortal lands then I never saw her again." she said looking up at him.

"We will find out...." He said and kissed her. "Now, my lovely maiden.... please get dressed.... you have work to do..... as do I involving that boss of your's...."

"What are you talking about involving my boss? Erebus... what do you have planned?" she asked worriedly. "and your going to make me go to Epsilon Archer arent you?" she asked thinking about which suite of her to wear to go and try and get an interview.

"Yes.... you don't like working for the law firm... work with Epsilon Archer... I know you will like it....and you won't have to worry about what is happening with your beautiful eyes nor hair...." he said, kissing her.

Tavia sighed softly melting into the kiss with him. It felt so warm and amazing. "Alright, I'll do it for you" she said as his lips pulled away from hers.

"good...... I know that you will do great!" he said, smiling at her.

Tavia giggled. "Now I need to get dressed" she turned around and faced him. "So if you would like to wait for me you can wait for me in the other room" she said with her hands on his chest gazing up at him.

"That is fine by me, my lady...." Erebus said with a great bow, backing out of the room, smiling up at her, and then winked, but then stopped. "I have to go.... but I will be right back.... I am being called...." He then disappeared into the shadows.

Tavia let out a sigh and went to work picking out a nice suite. She had a few nice suites she had over the years but nothing that was really unique, it was times like this she missed being a princess. the hand made garmets from beautiful fabrics that flowed and shimmered all sorts of colors. She went to her closet and pulled out a black suite, she then went to her dresser and pulled out a sapphire blue blouse. "Thats ok I guess" she said softly to herself as she grabbed a bra and panties and got changed.

Erebus had still not come back.

She pulled on a pair of simple black high heels before she through her hair up on her head. she Pinned it up in that position using a breathtaking butterfly hair clip. It was the one her mother had given to her a long time ago. She fluffed her hair a bit then got to work on putting her make up on which was a soft blue eyeshadow with black eyeliner and mascarra. fiddling with a cresent moon necklace she put it around her neck then put the couple rings she owned on. Afterwords she slid on a pair of cresent moon earrings that matched her necklace. She sat on her bed wondering where Erebus was, she wasnt leaving her house with her silvering hair and her blue with gold and silver flake eyes if he wasnt with her.

'I'm coming....I....Tavia.... I'm going to have to talk to you after the meeting you have.... I'm coming....' she heard his voice in her mind.

"No Erebus.. I'm not leaving the house if I don't have you with me I look weird like this and I'm going to have humans all over me wondering why I look so weird" she pulled her knees up to her chest. "maybe black hair dye will get the silver out" she said softly looking at her hair that had fallen infront of her eyes.

She felt someone sit down next to her, and arms wrap around her. "Tavia....love... don't you see how the humans dress like and their own hair... I've seen pink hair, hot pink...."

She turned and looked at him "Erebus pink isnt the same as Silver, silver is unatural in this world, silver you can't simply dye your hair that color in this world. and when I walk outside and start shining like the sun." she said looking up at him.

"It is a natural phase of the moon...." he whispered to her, kissing her ear.

She blushed and shivered at the feeling as he kissed her ear. She heard a soft nose from him and thought it was probably a sound of dislike of her human form of her ears. "Why do you keep talking about me and the moon?" she asked him softly.

"Because I think that I know why you have this feeling coming off of you, and your hair is going through a phase as are your eyes...." he whispered back.

"Still who knows when its going to go back and I do have to go out in public" she giggled and smiled up at him before playfully pushing him down onto her bed and looking down at him then gave him a little tap on the nose. "I'm serious Erebus, I'm not a god like you I have to live among mortals while you live in your other worldly realm and don't have to worry about the way you look" she said holding herself above him as she looked down athim.

Erebus tilted his head. "Tavia... I don't know about the beliefs in the other realm, but here.... Gods and Goddesses do live side by side with mortals and other beings.... there are just some that can't..... like my self or my sister Nyx....." He kissed her forehead, gently.

"what of that place where I came into this world? I felt the power of a god there a powerful one at that, and that place was not the realm of man" she said speaking of Olympus.

"It is one of five total realms or levels in this realm..... but gods and goddesses aren't resticted to their home realm or level...." he said as he lead her to her apartment door to leave.

Tavia scratched her head gently. "I have so much still to learn of this realm" she sighed softly not realizing that he was leading her out she was just focused on trying to learn more about the gods and goddesses.

Erebus opened the door, and gently moved her out the door, closing it behind him. "Not many know what I'm telling you... so you are not very much out of the loop...." '...Phoebe...' sounded in her head, a spark of familiarity came with it.

"Ahh well alright then, but still if..." she looked at him not knowing what to call him because yes the kisses and cuddles were nice but that didnt make a relationship. "Umm well our relationship, you being a god and all I want to know more about you" she said standing there looking up at him.

"And I want to know more about you," said Erebus, leading her down the street. "You are important to me..." The voice from before sounded in her head, '...in more than one way, Tavia.... Phoebe...' Erebus's voice.

"Why do you keep talking in my head? calling me Pheobe?" she asked curiously wanting to understand what his motive was.

"First answer me this... does the name sound familiar?"

"slightly but not really" she said looking into his eyes.

"Phoebe was a goddess of this world that was born of a mortal and the Moon... her name meaning 'bright moon'" Erebus said.

'Daddy....' came Tavia's own voice in her mind. 'Why can't mommy and us wive on the moon together?' She hear a kind man's voice reply, 'Because, my sweet bright light... something bad is coming, and mommy and I don't want you to get hurt...' 'But daddy.... you are strong.... you can protect us....plus you and mommy said that I make the moon bright with my smile.... so my brightness will Bwlind them bad people....' Tavia saw herself as a liitle girl smiled at a kind looking man who then laugh. 'Phoebe, my precious.... you are right... it does blind....' The man pretended to be blind, and she saw herself jumping on him laughing. 'Oh daddy....'

Tavia shook her head. "what the hell was that?" she asked herself blinking as the memory went away.

"What is it?" Erebus asked, calmly, but truly concerned.

Tavia smiled at him and shook her head. "It was nothing Erebus no need to worry" she gave him soft kiss on the lips.

"Tavia.... you remembered something...." Erebus said after he kissed her back. "From a past life.... that lead to who you are today.... the meeting can wait an hour.... come...." Erebus lead her down an alley, and then the shadow shallowed them. A light filled the area, and Erebus had his arms around Tavia holding her close.

"Erebus? where are you taking me? I'm scared" she hugged her arms around his waist tightly.

"Shhh.... it is okay..... this is where I go when I disappear into the shadows and travel..... this is also where the shadows tell and show me events that they think I should know about or that I have asked for....." He squeezed her gently. "Like...." Then the shadows showed a happy time for Tavia and her mother... it was Tavia's memory that involved her hair and eyes.

"Momma" Tears filled Tavia's eyes as she saw the memory in person.

The memory shifted, showing Tavia her mother as a child asking her own mother, and so on until it came to Tavia's great grandmother talking to her own mother who looked......just like Tavia?!?!

"I I look just like her" Tavia said in aww of the image as she gazed at the woman.

"Phoebe...." Erebus said, sadly but at the same time happily. "I am glad you escaped him..."

Tavia looked at Erebus. "you loved her alot didnt you?" she asked softly and her heart ached. He spoke these words of love and cherishing but it was really the memory he cherished, he wanted Pheobe back.

"I knew her when she was a child.... she had the brightest smile.... my brother would always joke that he was blinded by it and loved it...." he whispered.

Gently she patted his back in comfort not knowing what to say. "But you should be happy though for her she seems like she lived a good life" she said softly.

"Yes you did.... after you got away from Zeus, that bastard....." Erebus growled the last part. As the shadow memory of Phoebe and Tavia's ancestor talked like she had with her mother, Tavia saw that the child was going to trip and felt herself say, "Careful sweety, the ground is slippery...." just as Phoebe said it herself. The memories as Phoebe flooded back to her: her playing with her pretending to be blind father.... her loving aunts and uncles..... the murders of her mother and father at the hands of an unknown group of people..... the sex driven Zeus...... the portal.... the young elven noble of the Sun Clan..... her ideas of bringing together their son with the daughter of the lead Moon Clan.... her twin grandbabies and then a third grandchild.... the one that would lead to....HER!

Tavia felt tears fill her eyes as she watched the scene remembered the feelings of it all. "My heart" she put her hand on her chest as all the emotions welled up inside of her ready to burst out.

"Tavia...." came Erebus's voice, and a gentle squeeze as he continued to hug her.

Tavia buried her face into his chest. "please no more, I don't think I can handle anymore of these memories." she whispered softly agaisnt him.

"Love look...open skies and the great sun..." Erebus said softly.

Tavia pulled her face from his chest and sighed happily feeling the sun on her face again after being in the darkness.

"I'm sorry for taking you into my shadows, Tavia.... Phoebe.... I didn't mean to upset you..... I know that you are actually still a different person...and I understand that....He has turned you from the element that loved you greatly.....

"Who he? my father? yes he has after what he used to do to me I fear the darkness greatly but Erebus when I'm with you I feel safe amongst the shadows because I know I will always have your warmth and guidence to lead me on" she said snuggling against his chest again. "it wasnt the darkness of your shadows I was shrinking away from it was those memories they are mine but they are not I am pheobe but I am more Tavia then Pheobe, I am not the woman you fell in love with all those years ago" she said burying herself against his chest.

Erebus lifted Tavia's chin up so that he could look into her eyes. "Tavia.... you have mistaken my sadness at the sight of your memory, my shadows records of your time in the other realm when you were still Phoebe.... the man that was your father when you were Phoebe.... the man that I believe you will find the fatherly love you did not have.... was and is my brother....."

Tavia went wide eyed and pushed him back at arms length. "That means your my uncle! oh my god I kissed my own uncle!?" she began to really freak out. "That is so wrong so wrong! we're family we're not supposed to be kissy kissy or making out with one another even if it is through spirit we're still family! Oh god and if we had sex!...." she turned her back to him she was deffinantly ready to cry, she had really really liked him and now this.

Erebus sighed. "Tavia.... I am sorry.... I... you were right when you said that you are Phoebe but you are more Tavia..... I never had any other feelings for my little niece... but you... I do.... I was drawn to you...." He sighed again. "I do love you Tavia...." He closed his eyes as a way of hiding the look that would be in his eyes.

"my soul is hers but it is also mine and my blood may be descended of her but its enough where I wouldnt consider this incest" she said and turned looking at him. She lifted at a chin. "Sorry I know that was crass but it was the only way I could let it out." she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a deep and powerful kiss the sent the mans body on fire.

Erebus kissed back. Erebus pulled from the kiss then kissed her on both cheeks. "My love Tavia..... my little bright moon, Phoebe...." he said softly. "Tavia, you are definitely her and a descedant of her's..... you have the brightest smile...."

"Awww oh Erebus you sweet man" she blushed and giggled.

Erebus kissed her on the lips. "My love....." he whispered, looking at her lovingly. "Now shall we get you a new job..." Erebus said as he lead her towards a door on the roof of the building. "Not that we really need one..." he said with a smile.

Tavia playfully tapped him on the nose. "Well I do I have to pay for my food and apartment some how" she said adorably.

Erebus looked back at her as he lead her down a set of stairs to an elevator. "Oh you do.... and the meals I've given you?" he himself asked playfully.

"Are you always going to be making my meals for me?" she asked playfully in return.

"I could, or I could show you how to do it..." Erebus said.

"aww but where's the fun in that?" she asked playfully winking at him.

Erebus laughed, smiling. The elevator doors opened and Erebus lead her down a hall up to a secretary desk. "We are here to see your CEO... please tell him that Dawsho is here...."

"Yes sir..." the woman said, and quietly contacted her boss.

Tavia was suddenly getting really really nervous, she was meeting the CEO of the company. It sent chills down her spine, she began to unconciously groom herself trying to make sure she looked good for the interview. straightening out her skirt checking her shirt and jacket. Erebus could tell she was really on edge.

Erebus bent down, whispering, "Shh.... calm yourself.... you have nothing to be nervous about...you will see...."

"Ahme.... he will see you now...."

"Thank you," Erebus said, and started to lead Tavia to the office door. He opened it, and gently pushed her in, closing the door behind her.

A man stood up from behind the main desk. He had dark hair that was slightly spiky that went to his shoulders, but it was not spiked up, and he wore glasses. He smiled at the two, not reacting to Tavia's silvering hair. "Welcome.... Erebus..." he said. "It is good to see you...."

"You too, Epsilon...." Erebus said. Looking at Tavia, he said, "That's Matthew the CEO... but he is like me and you... though still different... I'll tell you about it later...."

"Its an honor to meet you Mister Epsilon." she said bowing to him, her culture it wasnt right to shake hands with men, so the women bowed to everyone they met.

The man laughed, and it was a warm laugh. "There is no need to such formalities, miss Tavia..... you may call me either Matthew as they do around the office or Epsilon as my old friends..." He looked at Erebus. "God or not.... Erebus... I am assuming she knows what you are seeing as being the Shadows, you don't normally show your self to some one that you don't know..."

Erebus smiled.

"Yes, I do know what Erebus is" she said and gave him a glance before looking back at Epsilon. "I hope we werent intruding on anything Erebus really wants me to get a new job and so he brought me here to you sir.." she blushed, she couldnt help but being formal. He was the CEO and a man who could be her future boss.

Epsilon/Matthew smiled. "Yes.... he has been very presistant..... and for very good reason to.... you are very bright and from your work profilio he sent over..."

"Work portfolio?" she asked and turned looking at Erebus curiously. "Sorry sir I didnt know he had sent you a portfolio of my work" she said as she looked back at Epsilon she didnt know what work it was that he had sent Epsilon, her work wasnt that well and it was all paperwork and completing information for her boss.

"No apology needed, Tavia..." he said. "I might have been looking over just some paperwork that needed to be down, but you had done it.... and you are very good... it would be an honor to work with you......and please no more 'Sir' this and that.... I get that enough from my secretary when I have meetings.....but we are all family here......"

"Thank you its a real honor to hear that from someone such as you, I do work hard to make sure its done well and done right." she said feeling awkward not calling him sir, its hard to train an ol' dog new tricks and not calling someone of higher power then her Sir was one of them.

"Now Erebus...you said that I'd remember her..." Epsilon/Matthew said.

Erebus smiled. "Yes... does she not look like...."

Epsilon/Matthew walked over to them, looking at Tavia thinking.

Tavia blushed as he was examining her.

"You.... She.... You look like Cancri... and Selene.... oh my god...."

Tavia turned bright red not knowing what to say.

"Phoebe....oh my...." he said, hugging her. "I am happy that you have returned to us...."

Tavia blushed and hugged him back. "I don't remember much from my past life but if I was friends with a great man like you I hope to remember soon" she said as they hugged.

Epsilon/Matthew wmiled at her. "All of the Zodiac are friends of the siblings: the Moon, Sun, and Dawn..... and of the siblings: the Shadows, the Night, and Cancri, Zodiac of Cancer"

Tavia didnt know what to say to him she was still learning everything. "well I'm already friends with the shadows I hope to make friends with the others and the Zodiac as well." she smiled at him.

Epsilon nodded and looked at Erebus. "He has much to tell you then, my friend...." he said. "And," he said looking back over at her with a smile, "You have the job if you wish to have it...."

"I would truly be honored Epsilon really I would, coming to a place like this would be great." she said with a smile, and gave a soft sigh remembering her boss Turner and how horrible he was to her.

"How would you like to start tomorrow....?" he asked.

"That would be great thank you so much!" she smiled largely.

Epsilon smiled at her. "You're welcome...."

"Didn't I tell you...." Erebus said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Tavia blushed and smiled at him "yes that you did" she blushed and hid slightly behind her hair then turned looking back at Epsilon. "Oh well Umm one thing first I have to go and quit my other job first" she said shyly.

"I will go with you..."

"Thank you Erebus" she smiled at him then looked at Epsilon, "so the only thing is, when I come tomorrow where do you want me to report to?" she asked curiously.

Epsilon smiled. "Just come on in... and tell them your name...."

"Thank you so much I can't wait to start, Well I best be going now I don't want to destract you any longer" she smiled happily.

"You have not been a distraction..."

Tavia scratched the back of her head not knowing what to say to him.

"Come on, Tavia..." said Erebus, smiling.

"yes right good bye epsilon" she bowed slightly to him then turned heading for the door.

Erebus followed, placing a hand on Tavia's arm, smiling at her.

Tavia smiled adorably at him next to her and gently slid her arms around his arm hugging it as they walked out of the office together.

"How about I treat you to some ice cream?"

Tavia blushed and giggled and snuggled more against his arm once the office door closed behind them. "I would really like that" she said softly and lovingly.

Erebus nodded, smiling. When they left the company building, Erebus walked down the street with her. "How do you feel now?"

"I'm feeling great as if I can start a new peice of my life" she giggled snuggling up to him. she hoped that maybe she could start a new peice in her life with him as well.

"I'm glad..." he said, kissing her cheek.

"Can we go back to my place first I want to change out of my business suite" she said cutely looking up at him.

"Yes..." Erebus said, and he pulled her into a hug. He then whispered, "Close your eyes...."

Tavia curled against his sexy chest and closed her eyes having a feeling he was taking her through the shadows to get her home.

"You can open your eyes, love..." she hear Erebus whisper.

Tavia opened her eyes and turned away from his body to see they were in her apartment. "Deffinantly a very unique technique."

"Yes..." Erebus nodded.

"Well I'll be right back I'm going to go change" she winked playfully and walked off towards her bedroom thinking about everything. She had a new job that she could feel inside was going to be so much better then her old job while she also had Erebus.

Erebus waited patiently for her.

Tavia walked out of her bedroom not long later in a pair of nice darkwash flare jeans while she wore a loose yet sexy white halter top that went down over her hips and was very elegant. She had changed her jewelry to silver jewelry that matched the outfit beautifully while her hair was still pulled back with that butterfly pin once more. her shoes were a pair of cute white high heeled sandals. "what do you think?" she asked adorably twirling aroudn for him.

"My little flame has become a beautiful fire...." Erebus said with a smile. "I think I will go blind..."

"Oh Erebus your so sweet" she put her hands on her cheeks blushing bright red.

Erebus smiled, placing a hand under her chin, tilting it up. He then kissed her lips.

Tavia blushed as her eyes fluttered shut melting into the warm heart pounding, delicious kiss with this amazing man of hers.

"I love you..."

"I love you to" she said softly as she opened her eyes gazing up at him.

"Ready, my sweet Tavia?"

"Yes I'm ready my handsome Erebus" she said happily holding onto his hands.

Erebus smiled, then lead her out the apartment door again, and down the street towards the ice cream shop.

Tavia turned bright red as people started looking at her as they walked down the street. "Erebus people are looking at me" she whimpered softly.

Erebus whispered into her ear, "They had before, but I had not heard anything bad from it....plus they may be jealous that I am with such a beauty as you..."

"Oh Erebus" she buried her face against his shoulder blushing bright red.

"You are..." he whispered. "I'm sure your mother now and then would agree with me...."

"Erebus your making me turn red" she said shyly.

"It just adds to your natural beauty..."

"Erebus your making me blush all the more" he said softly.

"Are your cheeks telling me that you want Strawberry ice cream?"

"Erebus!" she squeeled and smacked his chest blushing bright red.

"Tavia!" he said smiling, and laughing.

Tavia giggled and pulled him down kissing him. "your such a sweety" she winked playfully up at him as she took his hand in hers as they walked together.

"You're not getting red faced are, my sweet?" he asked laughing.

"Oh I'm still blushing but if I keep hiding against you, we'll never get our icecream" she smiled at him over her shoulder as she held his hand in hers and lead him off.

Erebus laughed. "You are just sooo cute...."

tavia giggled and smiled over her shoulder at him. "your so cute to" she said adorably.

"I know....what's not to love?" he said lauging lightly.

"I havent found anything thats not to love" she said happily sliding her arm around his waist snuggled against him he was such a sweety and she was so lucky to have him.

Erebus placed his arm around her shoulders holding her. "I'm glad...." he said softly.

"Hey! Erebus!" came the voice of a young woman from way off in front of them.

Tavia hugged his waist a little tighter "Who's that?'s she asked looking up at him.

An image raced through Tavia's mind, the image of her mother when she had been born Phoebe. They were playing together with her father on the beach, laughing. Then two people started walking their way, one was a woman that looked just like her mother, and the other was a man that looked similar to her mother and the other woman. She knew in her mind they were two of her aunts and uncles, her mother's triplets. Then she saw two more join them, a woman with long hair that was as black as the night sky and eyes that sparkled like star, and the one with her that also joined the group was... Erebus.

Erebus smiled at the woman running their way, and then looked down at Tavia still smiling. "That's Eos...."

Tavia cocked her head to the side a little bit remembering the woman before snuggling against Erebus's arm not saying anything else as the woman ran up to them.

The young woman, Eos, got to them, smiling. "Erebus! Nyx just told me the good news! I'm so happy! Our family is coming back together again!" she said excitedly. "OH! Nyx has a son!"

Erebus cocked his head, then laughed. "I know Eos, I know... Nyx didn't really want anyone to know about him before because He took him away from her..."

Eos looked less than happy. "What?"

Tavia kinda hid behind him while he had his conversation with this woman not wanting to get in the way.

"But I thought... wait who you hiding, Erebus?" Eos asked. "Those eyes...."

Erebus smiled. "This is Tavia...."

"Hi there" she said softly and shyly looking at the other woman.

"Your eyes...." Eos said. "They remind me of..."

"Selene....Phoebe...." Erebus said.

Eos's eyes went widen, and she pulled the girl into a hug.

Tavia went rigid being suddenly hugged. she was getting tired of being hugged by random people that she was supposed to know.

"Phoebe.... no Tavia..." said Eos smiling at her. "Both perfect names..... oh my.... you really have Selene's eyes... our family's eyes..."

Erebus laughed. "Tavia.... this is Eos.... your aunt from when you had been know as Phoebe...."

"Its nice to meet you Eos" she hugged her back gently and smiled at her aunt from her previous life.

"You are so pretty," said Eos. "I'm so happy our family is coming back...."

Tavia blushed "thank you for the compliment your very pretty as well Eos" she smiled at her.

"Thank you...." Eos said smiling.

"Tavia..." started Erebus. "Just as I am the Shadows..... you and your mother Selene are the Moon.... Eos is the morning light, she is the Dawn... my sister Nyx is the Night... and Selene and Eos's brother Helios is the Sun...."

"And so together all of us are the day and the night the ever lasting wheel of shadows and light" she smiled at them.

Eos nodded.

Erebus nodded, then said, "It was only Cancri, your father that wasn't.... surprisingly he was born mortal.... a set of triplets, two gods and one mortal.... but he two would have been immortal too.... all the Zodiac were to leave as gods and goddess no matter how they were born..."

"wow how unique" she said thinking about it all.

Eos nodded. "Indeed...."

"I'm taking Tavia here to get some ice cream..." Erebus started, but Eos shook her head.

"Can't.... I must fly now....so many friends and family have returned...." Eos said.

"Well it was truely nice to see you again really it was I hope to see you again Eos" she smiled

"You too Tavia... I really do..." Eos said, as she ran off again.

"Eos is so full of energy...." laughed Erebus.

"She's a real sweety" he smiled and kissed his cheek happily "Now lets get that icecream"

Erebus nodded. They got to the icecream parlor. "What would you like, love...?"

"Umm How about a soft serve chocolate vanillia twist with rainbow sprinkles, a medium in a bowl." she said looking at all the choices.

"Alright....I think I'll have that too...." Erebus said, and then put in thier orders. Erebus then sat them down in some seats. "I can honestly say that I didn't plan on Eos running up to us....."

Tavia took a bite happily and after she swallowed she kissed his cheek. "its alright no worries about it I've come to realize that you probably will have alot of people running up to you here and there all the time" she winked playfully.

Erebus laughed lightly. "I don't normally...."

"Well hopefully they wont always be around so maybe you and I will have some alone time" she said in a kind of seductive way she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Erebus smiled. "Are you sure you're not Aphrodite in disguise...?"

Tavia put her hand over her mouth and giggled. "Oh Erebus" she gently gave his arm a little pat. "your so bad" she smiled and winked playfully.

"You are the one speaking seductively..." Erebus said, leaning forward, kissing her lips.

"Well its deffinantly hard not to when their is a gorgeous sexy man sitting next to me" she said leaning more into him kissing him again on the lips before she ate some more of her ice cream

"Would you like to go today to quiet?" Erebus asked. "I will be there for you in any way you want me to be...."

Tavia groaned after he said that. "You totally ruined the moment" she sighed not wanting to think about facing that bastard.

"If you want, I could just have someone else do it for you, love...." Erebus said, apologizing by kissing her ear.

Tavia shivered happily even when it was her human ears hidden using magic she liked it when he did that. "No no I should be the one to do it because if I don't then Turner will come after me for an explination" she rolled her eyes thinking about it.

Erebus whispered into her ear, kissing it again. "As you wish...."

Tavia shivered "Mmmm that feels good" she purred out melting against him at the feeling.

"I'm glad..."

Tavia giggled and ate some more ice cream. "This is a good day, really I have to thank you so much for the new job and for just you love that you've given me" she said lovingly snuggled against him.

"I am glad to have given you so much in a short amount of time....."

"And I just hope that maybe I can make you as happy as you've made me" she said looking up at him.

"You do, my love...." Erebus said, kissing her cheek and then lips.

Tavia softly kissed him back melting into his arms. She pulled back after a few minutes and gazed into his eyes. "I love you to" she said softly as they were nose to nose with one another.

"I am glad that I found you....."

"And I am glad that you found me as well" she smiled happily up at him before taking another bit of her ice cream.

Erebus leaned over, and kissed her behind her ear.

Tavia squeeked and giggled. "Do you think it would be bad if I quit my job over the phone?" she asked thinking about it. Her boss was a total physco and a pig so it might be safer to do it over the phone but, it might be worse also because he might stalk her to find out why.

"In person....calling would be like not even showing up...."

She groaned "I was afraid you would say that" she laid her head on the table.

"I'll be there for you."

"I know sweety" she patted his knee under the table as she kept her face in the table thinking about how she was going to confront her boss.

Erebus began to rub her back very gently.

when he was rubbing her back he felt tight knots in her muscules that she probably hadnt relaxed in a long time.

He began to massage her back.

"No no no no massages" she sat up again. "No matter how much I may want it, if you massage me, especially how good that felt just from that slight touch I'm going to be making a scene." she sighed and wished she had the money to treat herself to a nice spa day or something like that. But she wasnt going to tell Erebus, if she was going to get a spa day it was going to be on her own dollar. She went back to eating the ice cream. "Mmm yum" she said happily as she ate.

"Make a scene?"

Tavia blushed knowing she would moan if he massaged her. "Just trust me please" she said shyly hiding behind her hair.

Erebus leaned to her ear. "I'll just wait til we are back at you apartment so you are comfortable..."

Tavia turned bright red. "Oh Erebus your so bad" she giggled and gave his arm a little smack.

Erebus just smiled.

"I do have to say though its not my fault if I try to do something naughty with you though" she said looking ahead but looked at him out of the corner of her eyes as she finished the sentence. She giggled at his reaction.

Erebus laughed. "Oh really?"

Tavia playfully poked his chest. "Yes really mister tall dark and gorgeous" she said with a seductive purr as she pushed her chest up against his chest.

"OOhhhh I see...." he said smiling.

"Unless you don't want me to be like that then I'll just go home and change into my baggy pants and shirt and read a book tonight" she pouted playfully as she twirled a chunk of his black hair. she truely didnt know how he wanted her.

"I want you to be yourself, Tavia..." he said softly.

Tavia looked at him curiously, he made no sense. "I was just being silly" she said before taking another spoon full of ice cream in her mouth. He was a confusing man but she felt something great for him.

Erebus laughed. "I know, love... I was just saying that if you wish to have a relaxed night or day, you can...or if you wish to be the sexy creature that you are, you can.... I just want you to be yourself.... you don't have to change...." he said , then kissed her on the lips.

Tavia blushed and groaned happily wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. Now thats what she was talking about. After a few more moments of making out with him she pulled back. "you seem to know all the right buttons to push" she said playfully. she nuzzled him. "By the way, your ice cream is melting." she said cutely before letting go of him to eat her own ice cream some more, she was almost done.

Erebus smiled, and eat his ice cream.

AFter they were done Tavia sat there watching the people. "Well" she let out a sigh. "Its now are never to go and quit" she said thinking about it.

"Alright love....you know where I stand...."

"I want you there in person" she said softly with pain in her voice. "If your not there in person even if you are in the shadow's I'll be to terrified to tell him." she said and trembled rubbing her bare arms.

Erebus nodded. "I will be there...."

Tavia smiled at him. "Thank you" she snuggled against him for a moment then kissed his cheek. "Lets get going before I get to scared to go." She said as she stood up.

Erebus stood up, and took her hand. "Let's go..."

The two of them then grabbed a cab and headed off to her office building. Getting out of the cab and paying for their ride she then stood and looked at the huge building. "Oooh I am not liking this more and more" she said thinking about it as she stood there. Her heart was pounding in her chest, she was so scared.

"You can do it....I believe in you, love..." Erebus said, leading her up to the building.

Tavia was trembling with fear as she opened the front door.

Erebus walked with her, and got themselves vistor passes, and then headed to the elevator with her. "Breath..." he whispered to her when they got into the elevator.

Tavia took deep breaths. "I'm sorry its just that man Turner he scares me badly" she said rubbing her arms that were covered in goose bumps.

Erebus hugged her, rubbing her back. "It's okay... I'm here..."

"I couldnt do this without you" she said and laid her head on his shoulder still freaking out about it all. Suddenly the elevator opened on her floor and she walked out she took a deep breath and made her way to her boss's office to quit.

The door to her boss's office was closed.

Tavia froze. "Lets come back some other time he's probably busy" Her boss hated to be bothered and it was her day off if she bothered him today while he was with someone she would never hear the end of it. "Really lets come back he hates being bothered." she said looking at Erebus with pure fear in her eyes.

"You're FIRE!!" they heard come out of the boss's office, followed by crying.

Tavia turned and bolted like a scared deer running from a tiger she ran for it out of the office and down the hall towards the elevators she couldnt do it.

Erebus grabbed ahold of her wrist, pulling her into him, into a hug. "Love you have to do this..... I will be right beside you...."

"No I can't" she was trembling. "Not after he just fired someone else, I can't handle the yelling" she was happy they were in the hall outside the law offices so she could bury herself in his arms.

"Tavia!!" came her boss's voice.

Tavia pulled out of Erebus's arms and spun around facing her huge menacing boss. It was now or never before he had time to say something "I QUIT!!" she suddenly yelled in his face. she turned red and put both of her hands over her mouth. she couldnt believe she had said it but she had.

"What did you SAY?!?! You can't QUIT!!!"

"Oh yes I can quit!" she snapped at him not knowing where this was coming from but she was going to ride it all the way till the end. "you treat me like crap I'm unappreciated for my work here and I feel like I was just hired as eye candy for you and all the other men in that office! so listen to me mister Turner I do quit and this isn't even a two week notice this is today! I quit today!" she yelled at him but then took a step back scared hoping that Erebus was still there behind her as her boss's face grew red with rage.

Erebus placed a hand on her shoulder.

Turner's face was red hot. "No you DON'T!!!" he shouted and went to back hand her.

Erebus caught his wrist. "No, I think she does...." he said in a deadly tone.

"Yes I quit this is the end I'm going to clean out my desk and then I'm gone!" she stomped off past him going back inside the office. She found a box and began to pack up all her stuff in her desk scared on what was going on out in the hall with Erebus and Turner.

When she got back, Turner was on the floor begging, as Erebus stood over him. "Ready, love?"

Tavia was confused by the sight of what was going on but it also made her feel happy that he had done that for her. "Yes I'm ready to go baby" she said and walked passed Turner without giving him a second glance and headed off towards the Elevators.

"Get back here!!" the man shouted, but Erebus had gotten her in the covered.

Tavia jumped in fear as the door closed to the elevator and her boss was running towards it. She hugged her box of stuff scared. "Oh god Erebus that scared me half to death I really didnt think I would have been able to do that" she said looking up at him as they stood there together. "Thank you so much, I I couldnt have done that without you" she said looking up at him.

Erebus wrapped an arm around Tavia's shoulders. "Close your eyes..."

Tavia closed her eyes as soon as he said that knowing he was going to take her through the shadows again so Turner wouldnt be able to cut them off.

Tavia felt herself being sat down on what felt like a bed.

Tavia opened her eyes to find herself returned home. "Thank you for everything you did today Erebus" she said lovingly.

"Of course, Tavia..." Erebus said, softly, kissing her lips.

Tavia happily kissed him back, Gently she moved her box of stuff off her lap next to her before wrapping her arms around his neck kissing him back.

Erebus pulled her so that she was sitting on his lap, as he sat down on the bed, kissing him.

Tavia made a noise of joy as she wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him back. She shivered feeling his hands almost curessing her as he held her it felt really good to her and she didnt want this to stop with him.

Erebus continued to kiss her.

Tavia kissed from his lips over his strong jaw down to his neck. "your so very hunky" she said playfully before she gave his neck a little nibble.

"I love you, Tavia..."

"I love you as well Erebus" she said lovingly as she looked up at him.

"What would you like to do for the rest of the day?"

"I don't want to go out again" she playfully strattled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want to stay here with my gorgeous man of the night" she said gazing deep into his eyes.

"And what would you like to do while we are here together...?" he asked kissing her.

"I can think of a few things" she purred out seductively before pushing him down on his back.

Erebus smiled up at her. "Oh... very seductive... I don't think I can say no..."

"Oooh I like the sounds of that" she leaned down about to kiss him but then tauntingly pulled back. "But first I'm going to take a shower" she winked playfully. She climbed off of him and went to her dresser pulling something out then went to her bathroom door. She stopped at the door looking over her shoulder at him. "Make yourself at home I'll be out in a bit" With a cute wink she turned and headed into the bathroom closing the door behind her to wash up.

Her shower went very well. (( ^_^ ))

Tavia stood in the bathroom towel drying her hair as she stood there in a black silk nighty with a froth of white lace along the top and bottom of the rich silk. "I'm not moving to fast am I?" she asked herself as she looked in the mirror. She was so nervous and was getting worse every minute.

She saw Erebus in the mirror, behind her, He wrapped his arms around her. "I love you...and you love wonderful..." he whispered, kissing her neck.

Tavia squeeked and blushed. "Erebus your so sneaky" she giggled and let out a sound of pleasure from feeling his lips on her neck.

"I didn't watch...but my shadows did tell me that you were dressed...." he whispered.

"Its a good thing they did I was getting kinda nervous to come out" she said softly as she turned around in his arms and wrapped her own arms around his neck.

Erebus kissed her lips.

Tavia kissed him back happiy she giggled in her throat feeling his hands sliding around her waist. But their moment was ruined when suddenly her cellphone rang in her bedroom. It was some heavy metal song. "oh damn I should have realized that he would call me to yell at me" she let go of Erebus and leaned back against the counter. "I'm sorry Erebus"

"Hold on...." Erebus left the room. The ringing stopped, and she her him talking to her boss in low hushed tones.

Tavia poked her head out of the bathroom trying to hear what he was saying. It made her heart flutter with joy that he was fighting so hard to defend her.

"...and if you ever call this number again... every detail I gave you will happen...." And with that Erebus hung up the cell phone gently setting it down on the side table.

Tavia snuck behind him and slid her arms around his waist nuzzling the curve of his neck. "I only heard the last part of it but it was really sexy" she said with a giggle. "I love how you defend me it makes me feel really special."

"You are special Tavia," said Erebus, turning in her arms, wrapping his own around her. He scooped her up, and layed her down on the bed.

Tavia let out a long sigh as she pulled him into a deep kiss while he layed her onto the bed. The kiss with soft yet passionate, while tasting so delicious, to Tavia it was as if she had been starving all her life and had just now been given that nourishment to live.

Erebus moved the kiss to her neck, and then shoulder blade.

Tavia sighed happily at the wonderful feeling. "Erebus" she purred out sexually. Her voice lusty and filled with love and need for him. This is what she had longed for to have a man in her life who treated her like a treasure in his life and she felt like Erebus's Diamond in a sea of coal.

"Tavia..." he growled out in a lust filled voice. He kissed the other side of her neck and her other shoulder blade.

Tavia moaned softly in pleasure at the feeling, his lips sending little shocks of pleasure through her body as she hungered for what was going to come next. If anyone disturbed them she would for surely give them a thrashing but from the look in Erebus's eyes she had a feeling he would thrash them before she could even get out of the bed.

Tavie felt Erebus slowly bring up her nightie, brushing his fingers against her skin.

Tavia gasped and let out a long happy sigh his fingers on her body made her body tingle as if her magic and his passed between them. "that feels really good" she sighed out happily as his fingers made magic on her sofr creamy skin.

Erebus kissed her stomach.

Tavia gave a soft moan, "Mmm that feels so good" she purred out laying there watching him with her heated gaze

Erebus's hands began to explore more of her body as he continued to kiss her there.

Tavia blushed and moaned softly and happily at the feeling of what he was doing. It was as if he was memorizing every curve every place that made her gasp everything about her being. A fire seemed to fill her with excitment and pleasure; Laying there she just felt so alive.

Erebus's kisses moved farther down her body.

Tavia moaned more and more the further he went down Her body feel so good she wanted more.

Erebus ran a hand down her thigh, and the other hand slowly went up under her nightie.

Tavia blushed and moaned softly, she felt the moisture of excitement form between her thighs. "Erebus please" she begged softly, she wanted to be his and his alone. she craved this with him, to have this bond with him.

Erebus took her into 'happy hour'. ((Wolf, 'Happy Hour' is something that Silver, Amathya, and I thought up as another way to describing Sex....  ^_^ ))

((ok I gottcha but now I'm stuck on what to do next lol ^^))

When they were finished, Erebus layed there on the be holding Tavia close to his chest, stroking her hair.

Tavia's body felt deliciously sore after how amazing it had been. she snuggled up happily against his chest one of her legs laying across his. Her body also felt alive, all her nerve endings felt awakened to the pleasure he had brought her. She knew their magic had mingled making it all more amazing between them. "Erebus that was amazing" she said lovingly as she traced the lines of his harden muscles of his chest and stomach.

"I.... agree... Tavia...." Erebus breathed heavily. "I... love you so much.... I don't want you to have to want for anything...." Erebus kissed the top of her head.

"Oh Erebust your so sweet to me" she said before letting out a soft sigh feeling happier in that moment then she had in a long time.

"As are you...."

Tavia gently kissed his chest once as she continued to trace his muscles. "I've been curious baby, what is it you warned my ex boss you would do if he called my number again?" she asked curiously.

"I don't think you would want to know....love...."

She rolled him over on his back and straddled his waist pinning him down. "Please" she begged.

Erebus sighed. "I told him that if he were to contact you in any way I would call on my sister and friends, and we would slowly skin and dismember him alive..." he said softly.

"Wow, it really wouldnt be like he didnt deserve it though" she said taking it like it was nothing. She giggled at his expression and leaned down kissing him softly.

---

Tashi hurried from working at the movie theater to his job at the restaurant. He yawned feeling a little tired but determined to do his best. His silvery white hair shimmered even with the lack of the sun as he hurried to work wearing his uniform. He quickly clocked in and began taking orders. He hoped his mother would be alright while he was gone. No matter how much time had passed since he took his second job he always worried when he was away from her for so long.

Four girls walked into the restaurant. A black haired girl, one with purple hair, a blond, and one which he couldn't see because of the dark hood she had up. The four girls sat down in his section.

He walked over with a pad and smiled charmingly, he handed them all menus. "My name is Tashi and I will be your waiter this morning if you need anything let me know. May I start you off with something to drink?"

The girl with the black hair looked up at him. "Yes, tea all around... non-sweet, please."

"Hot or cold miss?" Tashi asked with a smile. His pen was poised over the pad for their order.

"Hot," came the voice of the girl under the hood. The first girl nodded, and said, "Yes, hot, please...thanks..."

Tashi smiled and nodded. "Four hot teas. I will return with your drinks and give you time to consider your order. If you need anything else let me know. Do any of you want cream?"

"No thank you," said the blonde.

"Though, please bring cane sugar," said the purple haired girl.

He nodded and went to the kitchen to get the teas and sugar. He got the drinks and sugar and went back to their table handing them their teas on soucers. "They are very hot so please be careful. Are you ready to order or do you still need time?"

The blonde looked at him. "No... this is all we would like...thank you..." she said.

Tashi felt like something was off about these girls.

He nodded and went to serve other patrons trying to think on why they gave him that strange feeling.

Tashi didn't know why really, but he was feeling drawn to the one with the hood. He had only heard her voice, but... it sent his heart flying.

He frowned not sure what to think. He couldn't let himself get drawn into a relationship. His mother needed him, besides he probably wouldn't see them again. He thought as he served other patrons. He then went over to check on them once more. "Is there anything else you ladies might need? Refills?"

The one with the cloak lifted up her cup. "Yes.... please....Tashi..." His heart jumped at how she had said his name.

He took her cup with trembling hands and refilled it. "Here you go miss...anything else...?"

"A piece of crumcake, please..." she said. Tashi was able to make out the slightest appearance of earthy brown eyes staring at him from under the hood.

He blushed a little and nodded. He turned to her companions reluctantly. "And would any of you like anything?"

"No...thanks..." said the one with purple hair. The other two shook their heads.

He went into the kitchen and got the cake taking it back to the table. "If you need anything else let me know..." He said as he turned to go serve others.

When ever he looked back over at the table of four girls, they all seemed ingrossed in a conversation, though it didn't ever look like the girl with the hood ever really said anything. He then caught sight of her staring at him once. his heart jumped a beat.

He blushed and tried to shake the feeling from him. He went over to them. "Are you ready for your check or would you like something else? And is the check separate or together?"

the girl with purple head spoke up, "It's separate..." He noticed that she never looked at him when she talked.

"Thank you for the tea," came the one with the hood.

He blushed. "You're welcome miss...just doing my job." He said as he handed each one their tab. "You can pay at the register, or would you like something else?"

All the girls got up, but the hooded one, but then he noticed that the purple haired girl was blind because she was feeling around to stand up. The girls went to pay. The hooded girl stayed behind with him. "Thank you for being our waiter..." she said. "Thank you, Tashi..."

He blushed. "You're welcome...I was happy to do it...does your friend need help?"He whispered indicating the purple haired one.

The hood turned towards her friends. "No... she can see without needing to see..." she said. "Oracle..." she said, turning back to him. "My name is Oracle."

"Oh...well...you know my name already...it's nice to meet you." I see...she must be making fun of me... "Well..I need to get back to work. Is there anything else I can help you with Oracle?"

"No... and neither she nor I are making fun of you.... you misunderstand just like meaning.... I will be seeing you again Tashi...." Oracle said as she started to head towards the door that the other was heading through. Tashi felt her hand slide against his, her's being slightly cool to near cold, and her slip something into his hand. Then she was gone with the other three.

He blinked in shock. She...read my mind?! He shook himself and looked down at what was in his hand.

It was a note, and it read: 'Yes... I read your mind... and yes I knew that you were going to think that... I was named Oracle for a reason, Tashi... please come see me tomorrow, for you don't have work then.. it will be your day off... I will be up at the Earth Shrine... ~Oracle'

He blinked and went to the bathroom and into one of the stalls after telling one of the co-workers he had to go. earth shrine? What....is that? He wondered in confusion.

He then remembered that there were four temples or shrines on the edges of the city, each exactly on a cardinal direction. The Earth Shrine was to the north.

he sighed and pocketed the paper. He washed his hands and went back to work. He couldn't wait for work to end tonight

The day ended fairly well, he had made a good amount from tips to go with the little money he earned normally.

He headed home stopping at a 24 hour drug store to fill one of the scripts for his mother's meds. Then he began to head home trying to push the strange girls from his mind

He couldn't really push her from his mind, his mind asking what she looked like under the hood. He made it home.

"Mom...I'm home."He said as he came in. Who was she? Why can't I forget her? I don't have time to date...

"Hello sweet heart.... how are you?" she asked.

He smiled and hugged her. "A little tired but good. How are you?" He said as he started making supper and readying her medicine.

"I'm okay...." was her simple answer like always.

"Here. I got your prescription filled." He said as he suppressed a yawn as he gave her the medication and began cooking supper. "How was your day mother?"

"My day was good, Tashi... Thank you...."

He hugged his mother gently. "Glad to hear that. Mine was busy but good."

"You work too hard...."

"I'm alright. We need the money mom...and I am glad to be of help."

"If you are sure.....I don't want to cause you any stress...."

"Mom...you could never cause me stress. I love you, family sticks together threw thick and thin." He said as he handed her her food and fixed himself a plate.

She nodded. "Thank you Tashi...."

Tashi smiled as he began to eat. He talked to his mother about his day, leaving out the strange girl.He remembered her but he had forgotten the meeting time she had told him.

Then he remembered the note.

"Umm...Mom?"

His mother looked at him. "Yes sweet heart...?"

"Is it alright if I leave tomorrow for a little while? I'll be back...I promise."

"That's fine, sweety...."

He hugged her gently and began to eat.

The rest of the night went well. The next morning Tashi's alarm clock went off.

He rolled over and hit the snooze not wanting to get up

His alarm went off again.

He sighed and turned it off. He stretched as he got dressed and then went to the kitchen to fix breakfast for he and his mother. He sorted out her medication and went to wake her.

His mother got up. "Morning, Tashi..." she yawned.

"Morning Mom...I made breakfast."

"Thank you Tashi.....I always love your breakfasts...."

He smiled. "You're welcome." He said as he helped her to her seat and gave her her breakfast and medication. He talked to her about some good things that had happened at work. "Oh...and...you know that promotion I've been wanting?"

"You got it didn't you?"

He smiled happily. "Yes."

"Oh Tashi, I am soo happy for you...."

"So am I, and when I get my next paycheck I want to take you to dinner to celebrate Mom."

"You don't have to...."

"Mom...I want to...I want to treat you to a nice dinner. You deserve it."

"You are so sweet, Tashi...."

"I learned it from you." He said with a smile.

"You are such a sweet boy..."

"Because I have a sweet mother who raised me well. What do you want to do today mom?"

"I think I'll read one of my books today... you said that you had something that you were going to do today...."

He kissed her forehead. "Thanks for the reminder...I love you and I will see you later." He said as he went to go meet Oracle.

He remembered that the note said the Earth Shrine.

He headed that way.

After a while, Tashi got to a large gate that had a path on the other side that lead up into the mountians. On either side of the gate was a large tortoise statue with a snake wrapped around it.

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out before entering the gate and following the path.

After ten minutes, Tashi was able to see that he was still a good distance from getting to the top.

He sighed and continued toward it at a jog.

"Hi Tashi...." Oracle's voice came to him from the left, softened by her cloak hook.

He turned to look. "I...I...came..."He said a little nervously. He had never went off to meet anyone before, especially a girl.

"I thought I'd come to met you... I know that it can take a bit to get up there especially if you don't have anyone to walk with..."

He blushed and nodded. "We could just talk here since you are here right?"

She nodded under her hood. "Set with me then..." She moved over to a very shady area near the path. She sat down.

He sat down as well. "What...uh...did you...want to talk about?" He said feeling awkward.

Oracle lowered her hood, revealing a beautiful young lady with long silvery green hair and deep dark green eyes. "I want to get to know you.... I really like you...."

He blushed. "I...I'm sorry...I can't...I can't abandon my mother." He said as he leapt up. "I...am sorry, I shouldn't have come, you should find someone who can give you everything you deserve. Someone who...will treat an intelligent beauty like you right...I can't offer you anything, I can hardly care for my mother..." He said in a panic as he ran toward his home. Tears filled his eyes. I...probably hurt her, I'm horrible...I shouldn't have come, Mom needs me, she is even prettier then I thought she would be

"Tashi! Please!" Oracle called.

He stopped but didn't turn to look at her he visibly shook

Oracle placed a hand on his shoulder. Her voice was soften by the hood again. "I would never wish you to abandon anyone...."

He shook a little. "I...am not...right for anyone...I'm sorry..."

"I can help you, Tashi... I can help you take care of your mother...."

"But...what about your life?"

"I am a prietess... it is my life to help.... just as it is my brother's.... as was it my mother's and father's...."

"But...even the doctors can't help..."

"I am no ordinary priestess...."

"What do you mean?"

"I...I have to wear this cloak during the day for a reason......"

"Why?"

"Because... I am...not normal...."

"Is anyone really...normal?" He asked looking down.

"I'm a vampire....."

He looked away. "I see now...thanks...it was a fun game. Bye." He said running toward home. He bit back the sob that threatened him but the tears came anyway. It figured...he started getting interested in someone and they only called him out to tease him. A joke...her friends probably put her up to it. Vampire...who was she kidding?
His heart ached as he raced off.

As if appearing out of thin air, there she was standing at the foot of the mountain, in the path he was running. "Tashi.... I would never play a joke on someone..." Oracle said, softly.

He looked at her in surprise the tears still ran down his face. "Y...you...can't be a vampire..."

Oracle lifted up an arm, pulling back the sleeve of her cloak. Her hand started to have burn off of it as the sun was really harming her.

His eyes widened and he rushed toward her to protect her. "D...Don't do that! You...could have proven it another way..." He said shielding her from the sun as he tended the wound. She...isn't lying...she...really is...a...a..vampire?

"My brother and I are vampires...but we aren't like normal vampires.... we don't have to live off blood.... but I'm still young, I can't go out in the sun like my brother......."

"Your brother?"

"Yes.....the high Priest of this shrine...."

"Vampires? I...never knew the existed...but...how can you help my mother?"

"Yes vampires..... and yes I can help you.....I can help her.....Please trust me...."

He slowly nodded. "How can you help her?"

"I have to see her...."

"Ok...I...don't know how she will react to me bringing someone home...especially a girl..." He said as he lead her toward his home.

"Tashi.... your mother will be happy to see you bring home a girl..... she wants you to be happy...."

He looked down. "I won't abandon her like my brother and father did..."

"I would never ask you to leave her..... you father was a bastard for what he did.....but your brother..... you do not know what he was really doing.... or what happened to him....."

---

Gabriel sat in his room trying to stay silent and away from his family. He read the article on his laptop about the occult and sighed. He wished to be at college. But his family wouldn't allow it. He was especially avoiding his brother. It had only been a week since he had tried to kill him for the third time. He didn't want to take chances.

"Boy!" shouted his father. "Where is that Devil child!?"

He closed his eyes and then opened them trying to still himself. He closed his laptop and cautiously opened his door. He wore black trip pants and a black t-shirt today. His necklace was tucked safely under his shirt. "What is it?" He asked not bothering to be polite. He knew it would do no good.

"Don't what me you little demon! You have chores to do, get to it! Now, Satan spawn!"

He sighed and walked down stairs knowing better then to argue, even though he had done his chores for the day.

the chores that he had to do were that of his brother. There was no sign of his brother anywhere.

He inwardly growled but quickly did the chores. "Happy?" He snapped at his father in disgust.

"Do not snap at me boy," said his father, stalking over to him. His father back handed him. "Get back to that hell hole of your's boy and stay there til you're called."

He whirled around and went up stairs. It was only after he closed his room and locked the door that he put his hand to his cheek and allowed the pain to register. He went over and filled his book bag with study materials and carefully slipped out the window. If they wouldn't enroll him he would find another way.

As he walked down the street, Gabrial heard from up ahead. "Where do you think you're going, Freak?" It was his brother.

"Library." He said as he tensed ready to outrun his brother if the need arose. "I see you skipped out on your chores today."

"No, I did them... by having you do them, freak.."

"That's not doing them lard butt." He said as he quickly put distance between them.

"Freak!" the brother said, rushed to slugging him.

Gabriel tried to dodge and bit back the cry of pain at the contact. He grabbed his bag and ran for it knowing he was a faster runner.

"Get back here, you Freak of Nature!!" shouted his brother from behind, foot steps following him, but soon the sounds of the foot falls died to silence, silence all but for Gabriel's own foot falls and breathing.

He kept running until he could run no more. He collapsed onto the grass and looked around him to see where he was. He put a hand to his face to check for bleeding.

His nose was bleeding.

He started to hear foot steps.

He took a tissue from his pocket and pinched his nose to stop the bleeding he looked cautiously to see who it was, tensed and ready to run.

A girl about his age, dressed all in black walked up to him. "Are you okay?" she asked, bending down taking the tissue from him, and holding his nose herself. "Lean back...."

He did as she asked not sure who she was. "Thanks..."

"You're welcome..." she said. Gabriel was feeling drawn to her.

"I...thank you...my brother is not...kind..."Gabriel mumbled not sure what to really say.

"I know how that is...but not in the way of a brother or even a sister...but I do know..." she said, and then gave him a smile. "My name is Hecate.... what is your's?"

"Gabriel. Pleased to meet you, sorry it's under this circumstance. At least I lost him back there though..."

"I'm glad to... I wouldn't want to have to hex someone tonight..." she said, smiling but sounding serious.

"Hexing? When I try that on him it never works..."

Hecate smiled at him. "You can do magic?"

"I wish...I try...it hardly works..."Gabriel sighed.

"Oh..." she laughed lightly. "I can..." Hecate placed a hand in front of Gabriel's eyes, a gem stone appeared in it.

Gabriel blinked in surprise. "H...how?"

"Magic....." she said, smiling. "You can do things too....you know...."

"No I can't....if I could I would have by now..."

"It's just asleep within you.....it has to awaken..."

"How?" Gabriel asked before he could stop himself.

"By calling to it in a way...."

"Calling? But...can you teach me?"

Hecate smiled. "I can help you....so where were you running to....?"

"Library...anywhere but 'home'."

"I know a pretty nice cyber cafe..."

"Really?"

"Yeah.... I'm friends with the owner and I'm a co-owner of the place..."

"I'd like to see it...besides the library will be closed soon."

"Come on," she said smiling. "I'll show you, it's great..."

He followed excitedly

Hecate lead Gabriel to an occult looking cyber cafe. "It's open all night..." she said.

His eyes lit up with excitement. "When did it open? I've never noticed it before..."

"It's pretty new....but we have a lot of people coming in every night..."

"Cool, and my family wouldn't look here for me."

"Nope..." she laughed.

"Shall we go in?" He said holding the door for her.

"thank you," Hecate said.

"Hecate!" "Hey Heca...." "'ello Hecate!" came calls around the place.

Hecate waved, and then lead Gabriel towards the back.

Gabriel followed muttering a welcome. "You're pretty popular..."

"My friend and I give a safe haven to outcasts and occultists...."

"Both of those fit me..."

"Great...." Hecate said with a smile.

He smiled back a little then looked sad. "Those fit me even when I am among my own family..."

"We all can be outcasts in our family..."

"They...think I am...Satan Spawn..."

Hecate laughed.

Gabriel looked down feeling a little hurt. "It's...not funny."

Hecate placed a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. "I'm sorry.....Gabriel... it's just that I've heard that about me...."

He looked down. "I...want them...to love me...accept me."

"I do too...but it's my friends that accept me that make my life worth everything..."

Gabriel looked down. "I...don't have any friends..."

"I'm your friend...."

He blushed. "Really? You'll be my first friend?"

"Yes, cutey...." she said, kissing his cheek.

He blushed deeply. "Umm...thank you..."

"Awwww...you are even cuter when you blush....." Hecate said, and then kissed his cheek again.

"Uh...umm....I...I...am?" He stuttered blushing even deeper.

Hecate nodded.

"N...noone...has called me that before..."

"You have now, cutey...."

He blushed. "Y...you...are...cute...too.."

Hecate blushed. "Really? You think so...?"

He nodded looking down.

"Thank you...."

"And...thank you."

Hecate looked at him, then kissed him on the lips.

His eyes widened in surprise

Hecate pulled back. "I'm sorry..." she said looking down.

He gently tilted her chin up and kissed her

Hecate kissed back.

He blushed.

Hecate was pretty pink.

"I...uh...I'm sorry..."

"I... please don't be sorry.... remember I kissed you too...."

"But...when...I kissed you...I didn't...ask."

"That was fine because.... I liked it...."

He blushed deeply. "I...never kissed anyone..."

"neither have I....." Hecate kissed him again.

He gently held her close as he returned the kiss. He was still blushing.His brother would probably freak if he saw him with a such a cute girl kissing.

When they finished kissing, Hecate was smiling at him happily. "You did it...."

He blushed. "Did...what?"

"Sent me a thought..... it was sweet..... so I'm cute....?"

He blushed deeper. "I...umm...how did I? I....uh...you...are the...cutest girl...I've ever seen..."He stammered

Hecate kissed him again.

He blushed deeply as he returned the kiss.

Hecate pulled back, looking at him. "So Gabriel.... what do you like to do?"

"I...like astrology, astronomy, nature, painting, calligraphy, and of course the occult...you?"

"I take after my name sake....Hecate...." she said with a smile.

He smiled in return. "Is that your real name or alias?"

"That is my name...."

"Oh. I like it...your parents into mythology then?"

"You could say that they are mythology...."

"Are?"

"What do you believe in, Gabriel?"

---

William walked into a store to buy something to eat. He had been on the road for a long while and wanted to fill his too long, empty stomach.

As William walked down the ailes, he saw a little girl that couldn't be more than twelve walking around looking at things, no guardian or parent in sight.

He frowned keeping an eye on the girl. He went to the store clerk and informed her. "I don't want the child hurt or anything. Did she come in with anyone because she is alone right now..."

The clerk nodded, pointing over at a very large built man who had just checked out at another line. "Ceto..." the man called. "Come, we're leaving..."

"Okay..." she said, and skipped out the store.

the clerk looked absolutely terrified.

William paid for his purchase and followed them. Those two...might be trouble

When he left the shop, William could actually still see the man as he and the little girl walked towards where ever they were heading.

He carefully followed.

The large man and little girl headed into an apartment building. The building was old, and was in need of maintaince.

Vampires? Or not? I'll have to check it out later... He shook his head and headed away. He had a mark to get that night. He drove toward the part of town he was told the vamp would be found. He parked a few blocks away from the guy's hide out and cautiously headed that way. His training kicked in all instincts now on high alert for the target

Something about the area sent his senses reeling. Then it happened, something attacked him. the vampire.

He growled and slashed at it with his sword and shot it with specialized bullets with the same movement. "What? No welcoming? Anyone taught you manners?"

The vampire growled and trying to get out of the way, but it didn't make in time, and the bullets hit him."AHHH!"

He slashed down with his sword trying to immobilize it.

The vampire fell at the blow, fell down dead, for good.

He stooped down and drank some of the vitae. He crinkled his nose in distaste still struggling with the weaning. He disposed of the remains and then headed back to his motorcycle after getting rid of all evidence he was there

He heard foot steps that started and stopped very soon after starting.

He whirled around to look. Tensed for battle

A young boy, maybe 14, stood there staring at him.

"Who are you?" He asked tensed in case it was a vampire.

"Semreh...." said the young boy. He gave of a feeling that he wasn't a vampire, but the feeling also told William that this boy was more than he seemed.

William studied him carefully. "What do you want?" Did he see me?

"To talk to you...."

"About whay if I may ask?"

"About family....."

"Have you lost yours? I am sorry but I have neither the time nor the money to raise a kid." William said.

The young boy, Semreh, just watched him. "But you have the time to do what you just did?"

"And that would be?" William said hoping to bluff.

"Time to kill that vampire...." Semreh said, calmly.

William sighed in frustration. Was he losing his touch? "Look kid...you should go home and forget what you saw...think of it as a strange dream...The streets aren't safe but I intend to make them safer. I'm sure your family would be worried about you."

"If they remembered me, I am sure they would....." he said, not moving, but watching William.

"What do you mean? Don't you have a legal guardian at least?"

"No... I don't.... not for years..." he said calmly.

"But...how old are you?"

"I am fourteen...."

"how long have you been without family?"

Semreh looked into William's eyes. William thought there was something familiar about those eyes. "For centuries......father....."

"F...father? I'm no one's father, and what exactly are you? You're not a vampire..."

"Your son...." Those eyes, something about his eyes.

William shook his head. This couldn't be happening. "I...don't have any kids...there must be a mistake..."

"No father....William....Arietis... it's not..." he said calmly. A beautiful female voice rang through William's mind 'I love you Arietis...'

William shook his head violently in confusion. "You have the wrong man! Forget what you saw and go home, stop messing with me kid." He said as he rushed toward his motorcycle. What the hell is going on?! Who is this kid? I am not a father, he's probably a trickster...not a vampire...but...could he be an evil being? He wondered as his hand went to his gun.

Semreh just turned, watching him with sadness in his eyes.

He aimed his gun for between his eyes. "What are you? And no tricks this time."

"I am your son... from another life.... and I am Semreh..... but to many, I am Hermes... the messenger God...."

William lauughed disbelievngly. "There are no gods or angels! Only demons and those that vanquish them. I don't believe in past lives...if they exist it must mean I did something horrible to deserve what I have experienced. I don't want to kill you but I am getting tired of your lies."

"You were reborn because some one killed you.... killed you after they killed mother...." Semreh said.

'I love you Arietis... and our little flier...' William heard in his head. Then his own voice sounded, 'I love you, Spica....' Then he saw a scene play in his head, a scene of him and a beautiful woman with the boy's eyes, walking together, when they were attacked. They both struggled, and then he was forced to watch the attackers kill her just before it went dark for him.

He held his head his gun slipping from his hand. What....is going...on? "W...what are you...why are you...tormenting me?" He gasped.

"I am a messenger god.... I have not power over the mind...."

"There are no gods!"

Semreh sighed. Wings appeared on the sandals he was wearing, and they start to flap, raising him into the air.

William stumbled back in shock. "T...this can't be happening...A dream...this has to be a dream..."

"What, father?"

"I...was drugged...I...am hallucinating big time!" William said as he mounted his motorcycle. He muttered something under his breath. "Find a hotel...sleep...need it...overworked...bad vitae..."He muttered as he picked up his gun and holstered it before driving off shaking his head. This had to be a bad hallucination or dream. He headed for a hotel.

Semreh noticed he didn't wear a helmet.

A helmet appeared on his head as he drove.

He shook his head in confusion as he parked in a parking lot of a hotel and locked his bike before heading in to check in.

He took off the helmet in wonder as he went to the room he rented and stared at it. How?....am I hallucinating? Will it be gone in the morning? He sighed as he laid down in the bed and stared at the ceiling after locking the door.Was that vampire's vitae tainted? He closed his eyes in confusion as he tried to banish the memory of that strange boy from his mind.

WIlliam dreamed of the young boy, but he looked much younger, and he dreamed of a beautiful young woman, and him together, as a family. He heard the female voice in his head again, but it came out of the young woman's mouth.

He rolled in his sleep as though trying to escape the dream

William's heart longed for the woman. He head himself in the dream say, 'I love you Spica....I will never leave you.... nor our little Semreh....'

He moaned in his sleep torn between his dream and the present. He thrashed in his sleep.

'I love you Arietis... Promise me...if something ever happens to me.... you will find my soul again.... came the woman's voice. 'I promise, Spica.... my love... I promise...'

He groaned forcing himself to wake. He rushed to the bathroom and washed his face in anger. "Why...why these dreams? I've dreampt of my past but a past I never encountered? Why the hell is this happening? Who was that kid?"

"Baaaa!" came the sound of a sheep.

"Huh?" He whirled to face it in shock. What the hell?!

A pure white sheep was standing there, with a single gem necklace. "Baaa!!!"

"What the hell is a sheep doing in here?!" He said as he cautiously headed toward it. "Nice sheep...we'll get you out of here...whoever is pulling this prank was mean to you too..."

"Baaa!!!" it said. William could feel somehow that the necklace was his own.

he frowned in confusion and cautiously reached for the necklace.

The sheep did not move as William reached for the necklace.

He took it off the sheep and looked at the necklace curiously.

It was a beautiful ((I have to look up the stone)) and he felt like he wanted to put in on.

He put it on cautiously. ((I think it is a Diamond)) (( okay.... I'll correct it later ))

Once it was on, William knew that the necklace was his.... he knew the name Arietis as his own....the sheep was his friend...Spica... Semreh....

He passed out.

William woke up the next morning.

He looked around in shock

"Baaa!"

He screwed his eyes shut then opened them hoping this was all some strange dream

"Baaaa!!!! Baaa!!"

"Damn!"

The sheep was standing there. "Baa!!"

"what...is happening to me?" He whispered.

"You are awaking once more....Arietis..." came an older male voice.

He looked around going rigid.

In the living room stood a man, maybe in his late twenties. He was dressed in a Spartan's warrior armor.

"Wh...what now?!" He demanded trying to comprehend the twist his life had taken.

"Hello again...Arietis..."

He stiffened. "What is happening to me? Have...I lost it?!"

"If you have lost it, Arietis..... then Mania would have been the one to come here and not I.... your friend..... and mentor.... of the past...."

He held his head in confusion. "What...is happening to me? I see...things...but how can they be my memories? I can't be a father...I...am only 18." He said going with the age he appeared to be.

"You are remember..... Arietis...."

He shook his head violently. "I don't remember having kids...unless the damn bloodsuckerds did something else to me...and my name is William! Not Arietis..."

"It was Arietis...before you and Spica were murdered..... Semreh has been nearly lost with out you two.... became quiet...."

"Murdered? But...I'm alive..."

"In another life..."

"No such thing..."

"Baa!!!"

"I think you know that there is such a thing....."

He shook his head in denial. "It's...not possible...my life is already screwed up, I can't add more shit to it!"

"Or this could be the best thing to have happened to you.... Arietis.... you are not the only one to experience pain in this life..... Spica has too.... Semreh found her and you....but she really need him..... and she needs you..... something happened.... and she had been living in a hospital with no memory of her life in this day and age, with the only really memories being that her name was Cornelia and she loved to paint...."

Do you like it? came the female voice. Then an image of a beautiful painting, played in his mind. A painting of him, the beautiful woman, and the young man from earlier. I love it Spica.... I love it, like all of your art...

"C...Cornelia? But...she...she is dead...killed with my family..."

"Semreh found her.... his mother.... and you from what I've been told...."

---

Nilus ran along a river the desert sand burning his bare feet. He was finally free. He had escaped. He was happy but at the moment worried. He slowed and soaked his feet in the river sighing in pleasure. He looked around wondering what he should do now. He had always wanted to escape but he was unable to plan further then that due to his sheltered life. He looked around trying to spot any signs of life.

Down river a ways, Niles was able to see the shape of a person working with the river.

He cautiously walked that way wading through the river, the water felt good to him.

As he got closer, he noticed it was a woman.

He cautiously approached her.

The woman was cleaning some clothing in the river.

He moved closer trying to stay hidden he wasn't sure if he could trust her.

The woman stopped, and her breathing became labored. "I... I know.... someones out there... I just know it..." there was something about this woman that felt like the gods, but was something else.

He tried to make himself look smaller as he cautiously stepped out. "I...don't want any trouble..."

The woman looked at him in fear. "You're here to harm.... to hurt.... I know it, I know it.... harm and hurt...." she stammered.

"No...no I...want to get away from that...I was hurt...I don't want to hurt anyone...I'm sorry for scaring you..." He said tears in his eyes as he ran away from her, not the way he came but the way he was heading. He even ran through some of the water. He was scared but he didn't want to scare her. I...must be a monster like he said...I must look hideous...like father said...

Nilus fell to the ground. "Where do you thing you are going?" came a male voice.

His breathing quickened in fear. He stiffened up. "P...please...let me go..."

Nilus felt pulled or drawn to the male voice.

"Why should I let you go? You have sent Mania into a fit...." the voice said.

"I....I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."

"It's her nature...but you should never run like that....it is better to help calm her....." the man said, as he lifted Nilus up so he was standing. The man had a dark look to him, but Nilus felt drawn to the man.

Nilus looked at him feeling a little confused. He was also scared. "I...didn't mean to scare her...I was...in a hurry."

The man grabbed Nilus by the wrist, and started to pull him back towards the woman, who was crying. "Mania....stop crying now please..."

Nilus struggled to get free fully frightened at this point. Is he going to hurt me like my father?

The man's hold on his wrist was firm but gentle. "Just tell her your sorry....or something...."

The woman, Mania, was on the ground crying crazily.

"I...I'm sorry...please don't cry...I didn't mean to scare you..."He said as he started to hypervenelate from fear

"I... thank you... I... I was just afraid..... you were going to take him from me..." Mania said, wipping her eyes.

The man sighed. "I told you Mania.... I am not going anywhere.... he is not going to imprison me again, nor lay a hand on you...."

"Wh...what?! I haven't imprisoned anyone! I never will!" Nilus said tears in his eyes. "I'm not a monster like my father!" He said before he could stop himself.

Mania cried out and ran off to a house that didn't seem to have been there before now.

The man looked at Nilus. "It was not about you.... I was talking about Zeus...."

Nilus flinched involuntarily. "You...helped her escape him?"

"Yeah....I had gone back to the bastard's place to settle some things and found her...."

"He...is my father..."Nilus whispered as he tried to pull his wrist from his hand. He was looking down trying to hide the pain and fear.

"I'm not going to hurt you, far from it..... now.... we hate the same person..... we are not enemies...."

"Who are you?" Nilus asked still distrustful of the man.

The man looked at him. "Seeing as you were raised in a way by that bastard of a god.... I'm sure that you have heard him complain about my release..... even if it may have been an accident...." the man said, then looked into Nilus's eyes. "I am Atrox...."

Nilus shivered a little not able to stop himself. "He said you are evil...but...I believe he is evil. I'm...Nilus..."

"He is...Come, let us both go check on her..."

"But...I scared your wife..."

"She is not my wife.... now come on, Nilus.... if she's calmed down enough I know we might have a good dinner..."

"But...why would you take me in? He...is my father..."

"You hate him don't you?"

He looked down and nodded.

"THen come on...." Atrox said. He took Nilus's wrist again, taking him towards the house. Nilus's heart leapt.

Nilus blushed as he followed him. Am I safe now? He wondered

Nilus did feel safe with this man

Nilus moved closer to him and blushed not sure exactly what he was doing

Atrox lead Nilus inside. "Mania....are you okay?"

"Yes..." came Mania's voice. "I'm cooking...."

Nilus still held Atrox' hand, he wasn't sure what to say

Atrox lead him to a couch, sitting him down. "Now would you like a drink or do you just want to wait for Mania's cooking....?"

"I am thirsty..."

"Water.....juice.....wine....."

"I...don't know...I've only ever had water..."

"Water then for now..." Atrox went and got him a glass of water, handing it to Nilus.

Nilus drank it gratefully. "Thank you...if Mania isn't your wife...is she your girlfriend?"

"She is neither...."

He looked confused. "Then...who is she to you?"

"Just a friend, a new freinds in this time and place..."

"Oh...can...I...be your friend?" He asked. Secretey relieved Atrox wasn't with anyone. He wondered why he was so relieved.

Atrox had a dark appearance about him, but the smile that crossed his face lit it up, and Nilus's heart jumped.

"Yes....you can...Nilus...."

Nilus smiled, a true smile for the first time in hundreds of years. He blushed as he hugged Atrox. "Thank you...I've...never had a friend..."

Atrox laughed. "Well, I am glad to be honored to be your first friend..."

He blushed a little. "Sorry...I was always kept so close...never allowed to leave my room."

"I am glad you were able to escape..." he said placing a hand on Nilus's shoulder.

He blushed even more. "I...thank you...to be honest I'm not sure how I got the courage up to escape...I just knew I couldn't take it any more..."

Atrox smiled at him. "Courage is a powerful thing..."

"I have only felt courageous a few times...it always got me beaten....or...worse.."

"You are safe here, Nilus....."

He nodded slowly. "Thank you...what do I have to do?"

"Anything you want..."

He frowned in confusion. "Anything...I want?"

"Yes... You are free to do as you wish...."

He blinked and looked down. "I...don't know what to do..."

"Well then.... just so you know... you have the freedom to do as you wish....but if it is for your own safety, please do as the person says.... like if you are about to be hit, and someone shouts duck or run...you should do it...."

"Ok...i only knew that life...will you help me discover more about the world?"

Atrox nodded. "Of course..."

He smiled in relief. "Thank you."

"You're welcome....Nilus..."

He hugged him in thanks.

Nilus felt safe in Atrox's arms. Atrox hugged back, gently squeezing him.

He blushed not wanting to let go.

Atrox then whispered in Nilus's ear as he moved from the hug, "Don't think me sick or anything....but you have a very nice ass...." Atrox's voice was low and soft.

His eyes widened and he blushed. He trembled as he began to remove his shirt thinking that was what Atrox wanted.

Atrox's eyes widen, and he stopped Nilus. "What are you doing?"

"I...isn't...this what...you wanted?"

"I was thinking that...but I'm not going to take advantage of you...."

He blushed and looked confused. "You...aren't?"

"I'm not going to take advantage of you..."

"Oh...but...you...said I had a...a...nice...ass...isn't that what you wanted?"

"I feel attracted to you... that is why I said that..."

"A...attracted? But...I'm a monster...I look...ugly..."

Atrox lead Nilus over to a mirror. "You are not ugly.... I see a handsome young man....."

His eyes widened in wonder and he gently touched the mirror. "T...that's...me?"

"Yes that is you..." he said, standing behind Nilus, with a small smile.

Nilus put his hand on the mirror in wonder his eyes swept up and down, examining as much of him as possible. "B..but...he said I was a hedious monster...that even if I ran away...I would only scare people because I was a monster..."

"You are no monster.... and anyone could scare Mania...."

"W...was...she hurt...to?" He whispered finally peeling his eyes away from the mirror and looking at Atrox.

"No.... she was born that way.... she is the fear and insanity of the world...."

He looked down. "So...there is no way to help her?"

"No....there isn't...." Atrox said softly. "Some people can't be changed...."

He looked away and for a moment Atrox though he saw the glisten of tears. "Why? Why can't she? It seems cruel...."

"It is because she helps the world by taking the majority of the world's insanity...."

"she needs help..."

"I know..... that's why I have her living here so that I can help her...."

"But...you said she can't be helped..."

"I help...by being here for her..."

"Oh...can I help that way too?"

"Of course... I'd never kick you out.... I would love for you to stay..."

---

Sol walked through the streets of Tokyo looking for food. His stumach growled reminding him he hadent eaten in nearly a week.

A loaf of bread went in front of his eyes, slender fingers holding the food.

Sol looked to the person that offered the food not sure if he could trust them.

Before him stood a beautiful young woman, with long hair loosely pulled back. "Hi..." she said gently. "I.... it just looked like you were really hungry.... and I can't eat all of this.....so I just thought...." Sol found himself drawn to this young woman.

He hesitantly took the bread. "Thank you..."He said as he began to eat it ravenously. "What do you want in return?"

The young woman smiled, then just shook her head. "I don't need anything..... you don't have to pay me back at all...."

"But...no one has ever given me anything for free...surely you want something..."

She looked at him for a second then said, "If that is true.... how is this...... all I wish to know is your name..... please if you want to tell me that is....."

"Sol...my name is Sol." He said after a moment of hesitation.

"Nice to meet you, Sol...." the young woman said, with a smile. "My name is Artemis...."

"Nice to meet you...thanks for the food."

"You're welcome, Sol..." she said with a sweet smile

"Why did you do it if I may ask?"

"Because I wanted to....." she said. "...plus it gave me a reason to talk to you...." She smiled.

"What do you mean?"

"I..." Artemis was blushing deeply, looking down shyly.

"You...needed an excuse to talk to me?"

"I...didn't know how to just talk to you... and you looked hungry and in thought...and I..." she said looking up at him still blushing greatly.

"You...what?" Sol asked a little uncomfortably.

"I was feeling drawn to you.... and I didn't know how I should start talking to you.... so I thought I'd share my lunch....." she said, shyly.

He blushed a little. "Thank...you...but..what do you mean 'drawn'?"

"My heart.... it stopped when I saw you...."

"S..same here...I don't know what that means..."

"I...." Artemis started but then stopped.

"What? Do you know what it is?"

Artemis just kissed him quickly on his lips then took a step back, looking down.

He blushed his eyes going wide. "Y...you...kissed me..."

Artemis nodded, bright red.

He hesitantly kissed her on the lips

Artemis blushed, kissing back.

He blushed as he deepened the kiss.

Artemis went with it, wrapping her arms around Sol's neck.

He blushed and pulled away. "I...aren't....you afraid?"

Artemis was blushing deeply. "I...afraid of what?"

"I...live on the streets...allot of people are afraid of me..."

"I'm not afraid of that...." she said, then blushed more. "My heart could never be afraid of you..."

He blushed too. "But why?"

Artemis kissed him again. "Tell me why I should really be afraid..... I'm not afraid of the living on the street part..."

He looked down. "I'm...bad luck."

"No one truly has or is bad luck...." she said. Artemis then tilted her head to look in his eyes. "Was it bad luck to have met me?"

"No..."

"Then I don't believe you are bad luck...." she said with a warming smile.

He blushed a little. "And what if I bring you bad luck later?"

Artemis looked down sad. "You couldn't bring any more bad luck to me than I already have had..."

He looked concerned. "What happened?"

Artemis just looked up at him. "I... had been....r...r...a....." she couldn't finish her statement, it was too hard.

His eyes widened and he held her protectively close. "Who?! I will kill them!"

"It happened a long time ago.....but....my.... b..ba..." she had tears in her eyes.

"Your what? Take it slow..."

"My....baby....was...taken from me......" she whispered into his chest.

He held her closer protectively and a growl escaped him. "What....happened?"

"I don't....... please...." she cried into him.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault...." she said, whipping tears away.

He held her close. "Is...the child alive?"

"I don't know...."

"I...will help you to find it."

"I.... thank you...." she said softly.

"I will help..."

"Thank you...."

Sol hugged her gently. "Where should we start?"

Artemis shook her head. "I don't know..."

He sighed. "Where was your child taken from?"

Artemis looked him in the eyes. "I was living in Greece...." she said softly.

"Greece? Why are you here now then?"

"Because I have been looking everywhere......"

He gently hugged her. "When did it happen?"

Artemis kept her head against his chest. "You'll think I'm crazy...." she said softly.

"Why would I think that?" Sol asked gently

Artemis just looked at him, wipping away tears. "I....am..... the Artemis....." she said softly.

"The Artemis?" He asked blankly. He had never learned about Greek deities.

"I'm...a.....goddess......" she said softly.

"Wha? They...are real?" He asked wanting to believe her even though it sounded farfetched

Artemis nodded. "Yes..."

"Why...why give me the time of day then?"Sol asked looking down.

"I...." Artemis said softly, sniffing back tears. "I.... told you.... I.... I'm drawn to....you.... my heart..... it's pounding for you right now......"

He held her close. "But...why do the gods not care about people then? And...where is your husband?"

"I don't have a husband... I have never been married.... and the gods and goddesses do care... it is some of the more powerful ones that don't..."

"Then...how did you have a baby?"

Artemis looked down. "The virgin goddess was......." A tear rolled down her cheek.

He held her close protectively. "I...will help you the best I can."

"Thank you....Sol...."

---

Isaac sat at a computer desk doing his work. He glanced at the clock with a suppressed yawn hoping to go home soon.

"Isaac, I need you to show a new employee around the office..." came his boss's voice.

Isaac glanced up. "Alright where is the new employee?" He said looking cheerful but in all actuality he was exhausted and inwardly groaned.

A young woman walked over. She had long blonde hair pulled back nicely, and dressed a nice clean pressed white shirt and long kaki pants. "Hello..." she said.

"This is Nemi....just moved here from Europe..." his boss said.

Isaac smiled to her and extended his hand. "My name is Isaac, it's a pleasure. Would you like the tour now?"

"Yes please..." Nemi replied.

"I will leave you two to it..." Their boss walked away.

Isaac politely showed her around and explained how things worked around the place.

"This seems to be a very nice office...."

"Yes we are one of the leading computer technology centers in the world. Oden Enterprises also offers good health care for its employees but I'm sure you heard this already."

"Yes... I did.... many times...." she said.

"Anything else I can help you with?" He said as he finished the tour.

"I don't think so...."

"If you need anything more let me know." He said with a forced smile as he headed toward his office once more. He checked the time to see if he could clock out. That was the part he liked the least about his job...sociolizing. He liked being a lonewolf so to speak, he felt uncomfortable talking to people in person. He sighed.

"I will, Isaac....thank you for showing me around....it was very nice of you...."

"Anytime." He said with a forced smile as he ducked into his office. Come on time...I want to go homeHe thought with annoyance. What was he thinking having me show her around? He knows I don't get along well with others...unless he is playing that game again....I wish he would stop his attempts at trying to set me up with people...He sighed.

Work ended.

Isaac grabbed his jacket and threw it on. He then clocked out and headed home with relief. He had been in high school when Oden Enterprises had first contacted him. He was offered his job for his computer talents and his advanced hacking skills. He helped with government testing programs as well. The company had funded his further education and he had graduated from college by the age of 18. The catch had been to cut ties with his family. As a result he isolated himself from the world around him and focused on his work, but lately his work had pretty much been the same boring routine and he wanted a change of pace.

"Hey! Isaac!" came the voice of Nemi.

He closed his eyes and prayed for patience then turned forcing a smile. "Yes?"

"Do you want to go grab coffee or something? First days for me just make me stressful...." Nemi said walking up to him.

He inwardly sighed in frustration. "Where did you have in mind?" He said trying to be polite.

"There's a coffee shop just down the street...."

"Lead the way." He said still trying to sound polite but a little of his frustration leaked through.

Nemi lead him to the local cafe. "I found this place, and I find it very nice....."

He looked around the coffee shop. "Yea...I've never noticed it before..."

"I think that it's new... though I'm not sure...." Nemi said, walking over with him to a table, sitting down. "What would you like to drink... my treat...."

"Black coffee." He said. He liked bitter things, they matched his thoughts more often then not. He still had no luck in finding his family he had been forced to cut ties with.

"Alright.... I'll go put in the orders.... be right back..." Nemi said with a smile.

He nodded and sat at a table thinking about his family. How long has it been? He thought, it felt like forever to him...and he had to do his search for them in his apartment, away from his real bosses prying eyes. Lial Oden...he had offered such a wonderful offer...why did I accept it? Why is he so eager to keep me from my family? He would freak if he knew I had my own apartment...away from the one he assigned me. He thought with a smirk.

"Isaac...." came Nemi's voice breaking his thought.

he jumped a little and then relaxed. "Hmm? Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts.:"

"It's okay...here's your coffee..." she said with a smile. "I hope that I didn't cause you to forget your thought...."

He shook his head. "No...umm...Nemi?" He asked as he took his coffee with a thanks.

"Yes...."

"When you came to work for Oden enterprises did you..." He was cut off by the arrival of Lial Oden who placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah. Isaac and Nemi isn't it? What a coincidence meeting you two here." He said with a pleasemt smile.

Isaac inwardly growled. He always showed up at a moment where he felt he would get answers. "Just drinking coffee and getting to know each other." Isaac muttered.

Lial smiled. "perhaps I should join you, I want to run an idea by you anyway."

"Hello... thank you for hiring me to your company..." said Nemi.

Lial smiled and extended his hand. "My pleasure."

Nemi shook it, smiling.

Isaac inwardly groaned.

"Please sit, sir...." Nemi said.

He smiled charmingly as he sat down next to Isaac. He pulled an envelop out of his breafcase and slid it over to Isaac who opened it and began looking at the papers letting that distraction take over.

"And are you enjoying your first day with us miss Nemi?" Lial asked.

"Of course.... I think of a new job as an adventure....." she said charmingly.

"That is good."

"You made a mistake in your calculation." Isaac interrupted as he pointed at one paper.

Lial frowned and looked it over then nodded. "And this is why I like you looking over it. You catch these things. I will have it corrected."

"It would seem that Isaac is very good.... I hope to learn from him..."

"He is. I suppose you could say he is my partner in some ways." Lial said with a smile as he took a sip of Isaac's coffee.

Isaac flinched but said nothing.

"Oh...really...." said Nemi.

"Yes. He is very intelligent, a protagee. Now. I must get back to work. Have a nice day and I hope you enjoy your time with us. Oh and Isaac? I will see you later."

Isaac nodded. "Yes sir..." He said as Lial left.

Nemi looked at Isaac pointedly. "You don't like him much do you."

Isaac looked at her and for a moment there seemed to be a flash of anger and pain. "Why do you say that? He is my boss..."

"You flinched... and were pretty quiet while he was here...." she said, not even flinching.

"You were imagining things...thanks for the coffee...I should go."

"Meet me tonight..."

"What? No...I'm afraid...I have a prior engagement." He said politely.

"You're scared... and you know it...." Nemi said, standing up, her coffee in hand. She took a sip. "And you hate what he had...no forced you to do....." Nemi started for the door of the cafe. "I'll see you at work Isaac...."

He walked out. "What...are you talking about? He...hasn't forced me to do anything..."

Nemi started walking down the sidewalk. "Alright.... I wish you luck in finding them.....:

He looked at her in confusion. "In finding whom?"

She continued walking. "Your family..."

His eyes went wide and he grabbed her arm. "Y...you know how to find them?"

"I know of ways.....but what I really know is that you hate giving them up before....." Nemi said looking into his eyes.

"How....how do you know all of this? Where are they?"

"I can see it in your eyes, Isaac...."

"Where? Where are they?"

Nemi shook her head, and said, "You are going to want to kill someone..."

Isaac looked at her in confusion. So what else is new? "Why?"

"The what else is new is that your family is dead....."

He stiffened his eyes wide in horror not even realizing he hadn't said those words out loud. "D...dead....h...how?"

"He killed them...."

---